In advance of the expected major
storm, the City of Falls Church
declared a snow emergency effective 8 p.m. Wednesday, meaning
a no parking requirement will
be enforced by the City of Falls
Church Police Department on designated snow emergency routes.
SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9

It’s Of�icial: F.C. Real Estate Assessments
Leap 6.77%, Single Family Homes 7.83%
Bigger Tax Bills to
Be Joined By New
Storm Water Fee

F.C. R��������� W���
S�� ��� M���� 24-30

BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

The dates for the News-Press’ 2nd
Annual Falls Church Restaurant
Week have been
announced.
The event
recognizing
the Little City’s fantastic dining
scene will run from Monday,
March 24 through Sunday, March
30.

include Black Alley, Black
Masala, Bumper Jacksons,
Jumpin’ Jupiter, Mary Alouette,
Nappy Riddem, Rosa Lamoreaux
and Vegas with Randolph. The pit
band will be Dave Chappell and
Friends and the band for the VIP
pre-reception to be held at Argia’s
restaurant from 6:30 p.m. will be
Daisy Castro and Gypsy Moth.
There will also be an after party
at the State.
For 28 years, the members
of the Washington Area Music
Association (WAMA) have shined
the spotlight on local musicians,
music business professionals, and
music organizations who have

A press release from City Hall
made it official Tuesday morning. The real estate assessments
in the City of Falls Church have
leaped in the last year by an average 7.83 percent for single family homes, and by 6.77 percent
overall. This is more than double
the rate of increase for the year
before, which was only three percent, while commercial real estate
values lagged by increasing only
2.37 percent.
As the City reported, the total
taxable assessed value for all properties in the City as of Jan. 1, 2014,
is $3,549,167,400 ($3.5 billion),
a 6.77 percent increase from Jan.
1, 2013.
City Manager Wyatt Shields,
who tipped off the six-something
percent number to the NewsPress the week before, told the
News-Press yesterday that the
City’s assessments are “in line
with the region,” noting that
Arlington County’s residential
real estate values came in with
a 5.3 percent increase. The discrepancy between residential and
commercial values is also par
for the surrounding area, Shields
said.
“It’s a general trend,” Shields
said. “Commercial values are
impacted by the high vacancy
rates in the region, while residential properties are continuing to
bounce back from the setbacks of
the last few years.”
It means that property owners
can expect their tax bills to go up
by the percentage of increase even
without the City Council voting to
increase the tax rate. For example,

Continued on Page 4

Continued on Page 5

SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9

D���� B�����:
T�� A������� P��������
When foreign visitors used to
describe American culture, they
generally settled on
different versions of
one trait: energy.
SEE PAGE 12

P���� P��� ����
T�� G���� C����

F.C. singer-songwriter Dan Cohn
and his band, The Grand Candy,
will be celebrating the release
of its debut album NSFW with a
show Feb. 27 at the Iota Club and
Café.
SEE PRESS PASS, PAGE 25

FALLS CHURCH SCHOOLS’ Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones addressed a joint meeting of the
City’s PTA organizations about the upcoming budget cycle in the cafetorium of the Mary Ellen
Henderson Middle School last week. (P����: N���-P����)

This Sunday will mark yet
another annual Washington Area
Music Association awards celebration, known as the Wammies,
that will be held in Falls Church’s
historic State Theatre. It will mark
the 18th annual show at the State,
out of the 28 annual Wammies
Awards shows dating to the 1980s.
This year’s show begins at 8 p.m.
The City of Falls Church
Office of Economic Development
is once again a major sponsor
of the event, which along with
the Tinner Hill Blues Festival in
June is one of the major regional
musical events held in the City of

Falls Church each year. A number
of Falls Church performers and
supporters are nominees this year,
as well.
The band “Rites of Ash” is
Falls Church home grown, nominated in the Electronica category, and their tune, “Kept Me Up
All Night” is nominated in the
Electronica best song category.
The band’s local boy Lazzo is
nominated for Producer of the
Year. The Falls Church-based Cue
Recording is nominated for best
studio, and long-time City resident
Mary Cliff is once again nominated for best supporter of the D.C.
regional music scene.
Live performers set to play
at this year’s Wammies show

PAGE 2 | FEBRUARY 13 - 19, 2014

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

It’s Thursday.
Do You Know Where Your
News-Press Is?

Not getting the scoop on news in the Falls Church and Northern Virginia area before your friends? Don’t feel left out at the
water cooler! Pick up a copy of the Falls Church News-Press, hitting the streets every Thursday, at the locations below!

achieved significant accomplishments within their field.
The WAMA Hall of Fame
inductee this year is the 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s girl
soul group The Jewels. Special
Recognition awards will be given

to the Dismemberment Plan and
Anwan â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Gâ&#x20AC;? Glover. A Special
Achievement award goes to Olivia
Records.
Wammie Awards will be
given in the following categories: A Capella, Big Band/Swing,
Bluegrass, Blues/Traditional

Council Considers Options to
Renovate or Replace City Hall
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

The Falls Church City
Council took a first crack at
its Monday meeting at mulling
options aimed at badly needed
improvements to City Hall, especially for public safety needs.
The 50-year old building,
which was expanded to its current size 30 years ago, has court
services crammed together with
its police department and the full
range of government services in
41,000 square feet. The Council
has already authorized deployment of funding to address

City Hall needs, but only now
is beginning to consider practical options. So far, only minor
improvements to the Council
chamber, at a cost of $150,000,
has taken place.
Assistant City Manager
Cindy Mester presented an overview of two options, one a renovation of the current facility at a
cost of $11.7 million over three
years, the other a tear-down of
the current building and construction of a new one at a cost
of $26 million. Both options
would expand the size of the
building to 50,000 square feet.
An option for the tear-down

R&B, Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Music, Choral,
Classical, Country, Electronica,
Folk - Contemporary, Folk
- Traditional, Go Go, Gospel/
Inspirational, Jazz, Latin, Rap/
Hip Hop, Reggae, Modern
Rock, Pop Rock, Roots Rock,
Urban Contemporary, and World
approach would be to add a
fourth floor and boost the square
footage to 88,0000 square feet
at a cost of $37 million. That
option could accommodate the
relocation of the Mary Riley
Styles Public Library to City
Hall, across the street from its
current location.
The library is also in desperate need of a renovation or
rebuild at a cost of about $18
million without any parking. So,
it may be most cost effective
to combine the City Hall and
library into a single project, as
the Council considered Monday.
The Council just began to
consider these options Monday.
Mester will make a more detailed
presentation of the options to
the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Planning Commission
next week.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Music. Awards will also be given
for Musician of the Year, Artist
of the year, New Artist of the
Year, Album of the Year, and
more. The Songwriter of the
Year award is co-sponsored by
the Songwritersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association of
Washington.
WAMA officials extended
thanks their sponsors for their support, including Broadcast Music,
Inc., The State Theatre and the

City of Falls Church.
The WAMA is a nonprofit organization made up of industry professionals. WAMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main goad is
to promote Washington area music
and to achieve national recognition of the region as an important
center for live and recorded music.
Tickets to Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show are
$35 for the general public, $20
for WAMA Members, and $15 for
nominees.

the average tax increase would
amount to almost $600 for the
owner of a $600,000 single family home.
Citizens should be mindful
that the City has tax relief options
for lower income residents over
65 or with total and permanent
disabilities. The deadline for filing for relief is April 15. More
information and forms are available at the Treasurer’s office at
City Hall.
It is also significant that
beginning in June, the City
will be exacting a Storm Water
Utility Fee from all property
owners that will be determined
by a variety of factors including the percentage of a property
covered by an impervious surface. This new policy, required
to comply with federal and state
Chesapeake Bay environmental
standards as well as to buoy up
the City’s ability to cope with

runoff water from major storms,
will hit businesses and churches
with large asphalt parking lots
especially hard.
A mailing was sent out by
City Hall to all local residents
this week explaining the storm
water fee policy. The fee will be
included in the bill sent by the
City to property owners for the
first half of annual real estate
taxes in May.
Shields said that the City plans
to mail individual real estate
assessments announcements for
2014 later this week, so property owners should receive the
notices on or after Monday, Feb.
17. Updated assessment information will be posted on the City
website Monday, Feb. 17 but
individual assessment information will not be available until
after the mailing.
Overall residential real estate
values increased 6.73 percent
over the last year. Single family
home values increased by 7.83

percent, townhomes increased
by 3.38 percent, and residential condominiums had varying changes but overall condos
increased 4.97 percent.
Overall commercial property values increased 2.37 percent since January 2013. The
real estate value of multi-family apartments increased 11.15
percent, large office buildings
are up 1.19 percent and large
retail properties are up 8.29 percent. The value of City hotels
remained flat.
In total, new construction
accounted for $53 million of
the $225 million increase in
assessed value: $33 million in
Commercial new construction
and $20 million in Single Family
Residential new construction,
totaling 24 percent of the total
growth, or 1.6 percent of the
6.77 percent increase.
As set forth in the Virginia
Constitution, real estate is
intended to be assessed at 100

FEBRUARY 13 - 19, 2014 | PAGE 5

percent of fair market value.
The City’s Office of Real Estate
Assessment calculates property value annually using mass
appraisal techniques that are
standard in the real estate assessment industry, the City’s press
release stated.
The notice of assessment is
an appraisal of the fair market
value of the property; it is not a
tax bill. Property tax payments
will be due in two installments
on June 5 and Dec. 5; property
owners will receive bills prior to
these dates.
The real estate tax rate will
be determined on April 28,
2014, when the Falls Church
City Council adopts the Fiscal
Year 2015 Operating Budget and
Capital Improvements Program
and sets the tax rate. Public

hearings on the Fiscal Year 2015
Proposed Operating Budget will
be held on March 24, April 14,
and April 28 at 7:30 p.m. in
Council Chambers (300 Park
Ave.).
According to the City press
release, homeowners wondering
if their assessment is correct
should ask the question, “Would
my home sell for the assessed
value if I put it on the market?” If the answer is “yes,” the
assessment is probably accurate.
If the answer is “no,” contact the
Office of Real Estate Assessment
at 703-248-5022.
Deadlines for assessment
appeals are Friday, March 14,
2014, for an Office of Real Estate
Assessment review and Monday,
July 7, 2014 for a Board of
Equalization review.

Are you living with arthritis? Chronic hip, knee or shoulder pain?
Learn about state-of-the-art treatments for your condition from the area’s leading
orthopedic surgeons who practice at Inova hospitals.
Our physician lectures will help you by suggesting ways to improve mobility and
live a more active lifestyle with less pain and discomfort and at the same time
provide information on the latest techniques in joint replacement for hips, knees and
shoulders.
These FREE lectures are designed to provide our community members with important
information about the latest medical advances in specific orthopedic specialties and
help you find solutions to health issues that may increase your quality of life.

It’s already shaping up as a very expensive year to be living in
Falls Church, given the robust rise in real estate assessments out this
week, the ambitious plans at City Hall to renovate or rebuild City
Hall, the library, Mt. Daniel Elementary and George Mason High
School in the next few years, and the fierce intention of the Schools’
superintendent and School Board to maintain the excellence of the
school system, now fastest growing in the entire region for just that
reason.
The parameters of all this are now coming into definition as the annual budget process is being rolled out, geared toward final decisions on a
new tax rate, City financial transfer to the schools and other matters that
must wind up matching projected revenues to projected expenditures for
the coming fiscal year beginning on July 1.
On top of all these matters, for the first time this year, will be a
new tax on residents, the so-called Stormwater Utility Fund that will
spread the misery of paying for the federally- and state-mandated environmental upgrades to the quality of the waste water that’s allowed
to flow out of the City toward the Chesapeake Bay, and to pay for
better management of the runoff from big storms to avoid a lot of the
basement flooding and other unhappy results of such storms in recent
years.
For any citizen who wants to jump in on this, there will be many
public hearings and events where both learning and speaking out will
be encouraged. In a City the size of Falls Church, there are plenty of
opportunities for mice to roar, proverbially speaking, and be heard. But
the bottom line is that there’s no way that what we’re going to wind up
with – in a final Fiscal Year 2015 budget to be adopted in late April – is
going to be cheap.
In our view, since so many residents are busy people working outside
the City, mostly in the corridors of power in nearby Washington, D.C.,
when the tax bills are sent out in May – with the Stormwater Utility surcharge – there’s going to be a lot of consternation and angst. Especially
for persons “aging in place” on fixed incomes here, the shock may carry
more existential overtones. It is a fearful prospect for someone to be
confronted with being unable to pay their bills and to possibly lose their
home.
The time is already short, but the City Council needs to come to grips
over the next couple of months with a much more generous tax deferral
program for City residents who may be on the verge of extreme financial
hardship given the rising costs here. There are programs in place to mitigate rising taxes for lower income persons who qualify, and before the
Council starts adding up all the new costs, it should revisit that program
with an eye to some real relief for those who need it.

L������

Real Estate Assessment
Tax Hike is ‘Baloney’

Editor,
The 6% assessment jump in
property values for City of Falls
Church residents implies a 6%
increase in the property taxes the
City of Falls Church will collect
in 2014 even if the Council, in its
wisdom, doesn’t see fit to increase
the tax rate again.
Note that after the relatively
large increase in rate and assessment last year, the city had a
large surplus in its budget which

the political structure treated
as a “false surplus” because
forsooth the city budget year
doesn’t match the expenditure
year.
It was baloney then and it is
now.
Perhaps the Council should
consider a cut in the tax rate especially taking a hard look at the
unnecessary increase last year.
Henry J. Gordon
Falls Church

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

P�������
1. Keep the news clean and fair.

2. Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy.
3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial comment.
4. Publish the news that is public property
without fear or favor of friend or foe.
5. Accept no charity and ask no favors.

6. Give “value received” for every dollar you take in.
7. Make the paper show profit if you can,
but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.

ADVERTISE IN THE

The News-Press is delivered to every household and many businesses in the City
of Falls Church (22046), and to many homes and businesses (but not all) in the
adjacent 22041, 22042, 22043, 22044 and 22205 zip codes. Its total circulation
of 15,000 per issue is greater than any other newspaper in the distribution area,
including dailies. For complete advertising information, call us or check out our
web site.

Call 532-3267 or visit
www.FCNP.com

All original and some syndicated content is accessible via the Falls
Church News-Press online site, www.FCNP.com.
FCNP.com also includes photos, stories, ads and more not
appearing in the print edition.

[ TALK TO US ]
Send us a letter and let us know what you think.
The deadline for Letters to the Editor is 5 p.m. Monday each
week of publication. Letters should be 350 words or less.
All letters printed in the News-Press become property of the
Falls Church News-Press and may be edited for clarity and length.
Email letters@fcnp.com • Fax 703-342-0347
Mail or drop off: Letters to the Editor, c/o Falls Church
News-Press, 450 West Broad Street #321, Falls Church, VA
22046
Please include full name, address and telephone number with
each submission. Anonymous submissions will not be printed.

Since I began working as the City’s
transportation planner in the spring of
2013, I have received many requests from
City residents for expanded travel options.
People have asked for better ways to get
around the City as pedestrians and as bicyclists. People have also asked for better
transit service as a way of connecting to
other regional destinations. At the same
time, residents have stated they want to
maintain or improve current levels of automobile mobility.
While residents are asking for increased
mobility, there are concerns about travel
safety – there were six requests for residential traffic calming in 2013 and another
already in 2014. Additionally, there are concerns about automobile parking. The first
concern is that there is insufficient parking
in the commercial areas. Related to that is
the concern that commercial parking is overflowing into neighboring residential areas.
Previous News-Press Commentaries by
Mayor David Tarter and Council Member
Dan Sze noted the importance of developing
the City’s transportation network to provide
a multimodal transportation network. They
specifically noted the importance of creating
a walkable, pedestrian friendly environment.
The remainder of this commentary describes
ongoing efforts to deliver on resident requests
for increased travel options and safety.
At the policy level, staff is working with

Boards and Commissions, civic groups,
and residents to develop the Mobility for
all Modes plan. The plan will map out
the City’s transportation priorities through
the year 2030. The plan is not an implementation plan. Rather, it is a prioritized
list of the City’s transportation needs. For

“With additional funding
for transportation
recently made available
by the Commonwealth,
now is a good time
to invest in the City’s
transportation network.
example, the draft plan calls for establishing
pedestrian-friendly design standards and
adopting a bicycle facilities plan, but it does
not specify what those standards should be
or where the bicycle facilities should be
located. The Mobility for all Modes sets a
vision for the City’s transportation network
and establishes milestones for achieving
that vision. More information is available
on the plan website: www.fallschurchva.
gov/Ch7. In March, staff will prepare an
online survey to gather feedback on the
draft plan. The next community meeting is

scheduled for March 15.
At the budgetary level, staff is working
with the Planning Commission to prepare the
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for the
next five years. The CIP maps out (among
other things) transportation funding through
the year 2019. With additional funding for
transportation recently made available by the
Commonwealth, now is a good time to invest
in the City’s transportation network. The draft
CIP strikes a balance between maintenance of
existing infrastructure and investment in new
infrastructure. Priority investments include
projects along South Washington Street consistent with the South Washington Street
Small Area Plan and installation of Bus
Shelters consistent with the Bus Stop and
Bus Shelter Master Plan. The next Planning
Commission work session on the CIP is
scheduled for February 18, and the Planning
Commission is scheduled to recommend a
CIP to the City Council on March 3.
At the project level, staff is advancing
several projects to increase mobility for
all modes in the City’s transportation network. The list of projects includes: Bicycle
Wayfinding along Park Avenue and Maple
Avenue – expected completion March 2014;
Traffic Light at Pennsylvania Avenue and
W. Broad Street – expected completion June
2014; N. Roosevelt Street intersection and
sidewalk changes – expected completion
summer 2015; Intermodal Plaza on South
Washington Street – expected completion
fall 2015; 20 Bus Shelters along Broad

Street and Washington Street – expected
construction starting summer 2015.
The Bicycle Wayfinding project will
help connect the City’s commercial areas
to the W&OD Trail. The Citizens Advisory
Committee on Transportation (CACT) initiated the project after analyzing results from a survey of trail users. The Economic Development
Authority (EDA) funded the project to promote connections to the City’s commercial
area – more than 1,200 people pass through
the City on the W&OD Trail every day. The
Planning Commission endorsed the project for
its safety and economic benefits.
In October 2013, the City adopted a Bus
Stop and Bus Shelter master plan. The Plan
identifies a standard shelter design to be used
throughout the City. The Plan also identifies
priority stops at which to install shelters.
Design and engineering for the first 20 shelters is scheduled for 2014, with construction
beginning in the summer of 2015.
There are many ongoing transportation
efforts that will increase mobility, accessibility, and safety for all modes of travel. The
list of efforts includes new policies, budget
prioritization and project implementation.
If you have questions about these efforts or
want to know how to get involved in planning for the City’s transportation needs,
please email me at pstoddard@fallschurhva.gov or call me at 703-248-5041.
Paul Stoddard is a Senior Planner with

the City of Falls Church.

Question of the Week
Do you understand the City’s new
stormwater fee policies?
• Yes
• I think I do

[WRITE FOR THE PRESS] The News-Press welcomes readers to send in submissions in the form of Letters to the Editor

& Guest Commentaries. Letters to the Editor should be no more than 350 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four weeks.
Guest Commentaries should be no more than 800 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four months. Because of space
constraints, not all submissions will be published. All submissions to the News-Press should be original, unpublished content. We reserve the
right to edit submissions for length, grammar and accuracy. All submissions should include writer’s name, address, phone and e-mail address if available.

F.C. Says Stay Off Snow Emergency Routes
In advance of the expected major storm, the City of Falls Church declared a snow emergency effective 8 p.m. Wednesday night, meaning citizens must remove parked cars from
snow emergency routes. The no parking requirement will be enforced by the City of Falls
Church Police Department on designated snow emergency routes (a list of streets and map of
the area is available at fcne.ws/fcsnowroutes). These routes are essential transportation corridors for the City and must remain clear in order to allow snow removal crews to clear the
roads. Citizens are also encouraged wherever possible to not park cars on any streets so snow
plows have unheeded passage. City crews prepared final checks on snow removal equipment
and supplies last night. Traffic signs identify which City streets are snow emergency routes.
Vehicles abandoned or parked on snow emergency routes may be towed and fined.

Fairfax Provides Snow Emergency Info
The following tips were issued by the Fairfax County Emergency Services office concerning the heavy snow that was predicted to hit the region today: 1.) The Virginia Department
of Transportation is responsible for snow removal on most Fairfax County roads. VDOT is
aggressively pre-treating roads throughout Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington
counties and Falls Church in advance of the heavy snow. Visit www.vdotplows.org to see
the status of plowing. 2.) Check in on elderly or other housebound people you may know
to make sure they have supplies. 3.) If you see an unsheltered person who may be at risk of
hypothermia, call the police non-emergency phone line at 703-691-2131 in Fairfax or 703241-5000 in Falls Church. 4.) Don’t forget your pets, as conditions deteriorate, bring pets/
companion animals inside; move other animals to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking
water. 5.) Depending on how much snow, there may be a need to dig out fire hydrants. please
help dig out fire hydrants when the snow ends. 6.) If you’re using Twitter, tell us what you
see by using the hashtag #ffxstorm. Follow us on Twitter at @fairfaxcounty.

Laura Nunley
703.795.8667
www.McEnearney.com
MLS# FX8225532

FALLS CHURCH

$899,900

Loads of Potential! Charming Cape
on large lot. 3+ bedrooms, 3.5 baths,
great room, 2 fireplaces, daylight lower
level and much more! Master planned,
day care, school, B&B, or subdivide
into two residential building lots.

2nd Annual Falls Church Restaurant Week Announced
The dates for the News-Press’ 2nd Annual Falls Church Restaurant Week have been
announced. The event recognizing the Little City’s fantastic dining scene will run from Monday,
March 24 through Sunday, March 30. The culinary celebration will once again highlight the
area’s top dining destinations offering up special meals,
dishes, deals and more during the week-long promotion.
On Thursday, March 20, the News-Press will publish a
Restaurant Week companion guide in a special Food &
Dining issue featuring the specials from all participating restaurants in addition to food and dining coverage
of the City. Restaurants participating in the this year’s
F.C. Restaurant Week include Applebee’s, Curry Mantra 2, Dogfish Head Alehouse, Dogwood
Tavern, Flippin’ Pizza, Hoang’s Grill and Sushi Bar, Idylwood Grill, La Cote d’Or, Mad Fox
Brewing Company, Pilin Thai, Sfizi, Urban Pantry and zpizza. The growing list of participants
will be continuously updated and can be found at fcrestaurantweek.com. Restaurants interested
in participating in Restaurant Week, please contact Jody Fellows at jfellows@fcnp.com.

Shields Seeking Consultant on Water Bills
Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields told the City Council Monday night that a procurement process has been set in motion to retain an outside consultant to review and audit
the final set of water bills sent out by the City in December 2013, due to multiple customer
complaints of irregularities. The bills were the final ones sent out by the City prior to the
City’s sale of the water system to Fairfax County. Shields said tonight that the City’s staff has
still not identified any significant irregularities in the billing.

School Board Mulls 5 Preschool Names
The Falls Church School Board received a recommendation from a naming committee of
five choices to name the preschool on Cherry Street that is currently being renovated. The 15
member committee considered 86 nominations before narrowing the number to five. At its next
meeting, the School Board will choose the name from among these: 1. Cherry Street (location
of the school), 2. Jessie Thackrey (F.C. schools and City founder), 3. Kathleen Halayko (founder
of the preschool program and 25 year veterans of the F.C. schools), 4. Mattie Gundry (founder
of the Virginia Training School for mentally disadvantaged children) and 5. Proctor (Cherry
Street residents and original founders of the Child Development Center at the site in question).

4GPV;QWT*QOGYKVJ2GCEGQH/KPF
Selecting a reputable real estate company will save you hours of
frustration, extended vacancy, and provide peace of mind as you
select your tenant.
McEnearney Property Management takes the hassle out of owning
rental property. This means working with tenants, agents, and
professional service providers to rent, manage and maintain your
home with the highest possible standards.

Community News & Notes
City of F.C. Offices & Services
To Close for Presidents Day
City of Falls Church government offices and services will follow a revised schedule to observe
Presidents Day on Monday, Feb.
17.
City Hall and all government
offices including DMV Select,
Courts, Mary Riley Styles
Public Library, the Permits
Counter, the Senior Center,
and the Sheriff’s Office will be
closed.
The Community Center will
be open during its regular hours,
from 8:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Two meetings have been
rescheduled because of the holiday. A City Council work session will take place on Tuesday,
Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m., and the
Planning Commission will meet
on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7:45 p.m.

Department seeks nominations
for grand marshal of the 33rd
annual City of Falls Church
Memorial Day Parade and
Festival.
Past honorees include Janet
Haines and Audrey Luthman
(2013), Harry Shovlin (2012),
Howard Herman (2011), Edna
Frady (2010), Jessie Thackrey
(2009), Pete Geren (2008),
John Gannon (2007), Roger
Neighborgall (2006), Ken
Burnett (2005), and Mary Ellen
Shaw (2004).
The 2014 event is scheduled for
Monday, May 26. Nominees shall
have made a significant contribution to the City of Falls Church
community; previous grand marshals are not eligible for selection.
Suggestions should be submitted to Amy Maltese in the
Recreation and Parks Department
at amaltese@fallschurchva.gov by
March 4. Nominators should send
the nominee’s name and describe
why that person deserves the
honor of grand marshal. For more
information, call 703-248-5199.

Businesses, organizations, and
vendors interested in sponsoring
part of the festivities or setting
up a booth at the Memorial Day
festival should visit fallschurchva.
gov/VendorInfo.

Saturday Collection to
Benefit F.C. Food Pantry
As part of the Fairfax County
Stuff the Bus program, food will
be collected this Saturday, Feb.
15, at Falls Church’s Giant Food
on W. Broad Street to benefit
the Falls Church Community
Service Council food pantry.
FCS volunteers deliver food to
families in need Monday through
Saturday year-round.
Giant Food is located at 1230
W. Broad St., Falls Church.

than $60,000 to help local families
touched by autism who are served
by the Falls Church-based organization.
Held on Saturday, Feb. 1, at
the Tower Club Tysons Corner,
the evening started with a dinner and a series of speakers and
live music, followed by performances and a runway walk
by local citizens with autism.
Capping off the event was a runway fashion show featuring 22
model-fundraisers. Throughout
the evening, guests enjoyed displays of creations by local artists
with autism and bid on a variety
of prizes in silent and live auctions. A number of community
leaders were on hand, including
former Redskin great and local
broadcast personality Brian
Mitchell, WUSA anchor Peggy
Fox, and Virginia state Delegate
Tag Greason.

On Valentine’s Eve,
F.C. Arts to Host ‘Loving Art’
Falls

Church

Arts

will

host a “Loving Art Eve(nt)”
at ArtSpace Falls Church
at 7 p.m. on the night before
Valentine’s Day – Thursday, Feb.
13 – where guests can make their
own Valentines with free supplies
and artist input provided. Heartthemed refreshments, love songs,
and dancing will also be offered in
the spirit of the holiday.
The event is being held as
part of FCA’s all-members show,
which will be on display throughout the month. Guests are encouraged to vote for their favorite
piece in the show, which features
more than 100 artworks representing a variety of themes and
styles.
All gallery visitor votes cast
this month will be tallied for the
People’s Choice Awards, which
will be presented Feb. 27. Winners
will receive prizes including gift
certificates and framed award certificates.
ArtSpace Falls Church is located at 410 S. Maple Ave. For more
information, visit fallschurcharts.
org.

SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE Italian Cafe in Falls Church, a cheerful crowd gathered to celebrate News-Press owner-editor Nicholas Benton’s umpteenth celebration of his 39th birthday. Left photo, shown with the birthday boy (third from right) are State Del. Marcus Simon, former Virginia Lt. Gov. and now U.S.
congressional candidate Don Beyer, and Falls Church Mayor David Tarter. Right photo, our boy is presented with a cake and candles to extinguish presented
by the evening’s entertainer, noted D.C.-based cabaret performer Birdie LaCage. (Photos: News-Press)

Send Us Your News & Notes!

The News-Press is always on the lookout for photos & items for Community News & Notes,
School News & Notes and other sections of the paper. If you graduate, get married, get engaged,
get an award, start a club, eat a club, tie your shoes, have a birthday, have a party, host an event
or anything else you think is worth being mentioned in the News-Press, write it up and send it to us! If you have a photo, even better! Because of the amount of
submissions we receive, we cannot guarantee all submissions will be published, but we’ll try our best!

As Creative Cauldronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Passport to the World series
continues this weekend, local arts
patrons will be able to explore
the Pacific Islands through two
performances at ArtSpace Falls
Church.
On Saturday, Feb. 15, at 7:30
p.m. Carol Takafuji and the
Polynesian dance troupe Hui O Ka
Pua â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ilima will perform traditional
and contemporary songs and dances of Hawaii and the Polynesian
Islands of New Zealand and Tahiti.
Their presentation format is informative and interactive and aims
to spread the spirit of aloha and

love for the history and culture
of Hawaii and Polynesia through
song and dance. Tickets are $20
for general admission and $18 for
students and seniors.
On Sunday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m.,
Vivian Takafuji and the Polynesian
dance troupe Taâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ata Roiroi will
create an interactive afternoon
of storytelling, music, and dance
from Tahiti, New Zealand, and
the Pacific Islands. Imaginative
storytelling will be accented by
the inventive puppets of Creative
Cauldronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scenic designer Margie
Jervis. Tickets are $10.
ArtSpace Falls Church is located at 410 S. Maple Ave. For more
information, visit creativecauldron.
org.

Felix Chang of Falls Church won the 2014 America
Crown Northeast Nationals wrestling championship in the
8-year-old heavyweight division on Feb. 2 at the University
of Massachusettsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mullins Center in Amherst. He was also
awarded the tournamentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most valuable wrestler trophy.
This is Felixâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first time winning a most valuable wrestler
award and his fifth time winning a national wrestling championship. (Courtesy Photo)

$OO6PLOHV$SSUHFLDWHG

LOCAL
F.C. Panel to Discuss African
American Land Displacement
African American Programs
at the Virginia Foundation for the
Humanities will present the second of two inaugural 2014 Griot
Apprenticeship
presentations
this Saturday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the Common
Good: African American Land
Displacement in Fairfax County,â&#x20AC;?
a free public program, will be held
on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3:30
p.m. at the James Lee Community
Center
Auditorium,
2855
Annandale Road, Falls Church.
The Falls Church Griot Team,
including Edwin B. Henderson II
(Griot), Alyssa Walker (apprentice), Dr. Spencer Crew (scholar),
and Marion Dobbins (student),
will discuss African American land
displacement and the preservation
of the African American history of
Falls Church.
In January 2013, the Virginia
Foundation for the Humanities
launched the Griot Apprenticeship,
a community history preservation

February 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 19, 2014 | PAGE 11

program that unites a community historian with an apprentice,
scholar, and student for a 12-month
partnership. Its primary objectives
were to identify and support the
growth of a new generation of tradition bearers, strengthen community
and academic collaborations, and
encourage local or regional research
programs and projects.

Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club Donates $1,500
To McLean Project for the Arts

Several students from Falls
Church have earned academic honors for the fall 2013 semester at
colleges and universities across the
nation.
Magnus Charters at Clemson
University; Rachel Croxton and
Sarah Mellor at Wake Forest
University; Kristal Olene Bird,
Ramzi Adam Dridi, Nolan
Thomas Costigan, Harsharan
Estipona Malinao, Paula Denise
Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rourke, and Amanda Renee
Vest at Radford University; Julia
Western at the University of

At its monthly meeting on Feb.
4, The Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club of McLean
presented its annual donation of
$1,500 to the McLean Project for
the Arts through the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s representatives Bill DuBose and Robin
Walker, who expressed their gratitude for the contribution.
The club also sponsors and supports MPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exhibits of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
art at the McLean Community
Center. The donation is one of
many that the club plans to make
this year with funds obtained from
its annual Holiday Homes Tour.

Falls Church resident Charlotte Denekas has been asked by Virginia Senate candidate Ed Gillespie to serve as an adviser on young professionals. Denekas is pictured above,
at far right, with Falls Church GOP Chair Ken Feltman and GOP Planning Chair Susan Green.
She served on the host committee for a Gillespie for Senate young professionals event held
this week in Arlington. Denekas has campaigned for several Republican candidates, most
recently in 2013 for House of Delegates candidate Brad Tidwell of Falls Church and the
Republican slate. She is an executive committee member of the Falls Church Republican
Committee. (Courtesy Photo)

The American Precariat
When foreign visitors used to describe American culture, they generally settled on different versions of one trait: energy. Whether driven by
crass motivations or spiritual ones, Americans, visitors agreed, worked
more frantically, moved more and switched jobs more than just about
anybody else on earth.
That’s changing. In the past 60 years, for example, Americans have
become steadily less mobile. In 1950, 20 percent of Americans moved
in a given year. Now, it’s around 12 percent. In the 1950s and 1960s,
people lived in the same house for an average of five years; now people
live in the same house for an average of
8.6 years. When it comes to geographic
mobility, we are now at historic lows, no
more mobile than people in Denmark or
Finland.
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
Why is this happening? A few theories
offer partial explanations, but only partial ones.
It is true that we are an aging nation and older people tend to move
less. But today’s young people are much less mobile than young people
from earlier generations. Between the 1980s and the 2000s alone,
mobility among young adults dropped by 41 percent.
It’s also true that many people are locked into homes with underwater
values. But as Timothy Noah pointed out in Washington Monthly, mobility among renters is down just as sharply as mobility among homeowners.
It’s also true that labor markets are getting more homogeneous. It
used to be that the jobs found in Pittsburgh were different from the ones
found in Atlanta. But now they are more similar, so there is less reason
to move from one city to another. But that also fails to explain the tremendous drops over decades.
No, a big factor here is a loss in self-confidence. It takes faith to
move. You are putting yourself through temporary expense and hardship
because you have faith that over the long run you will slingshot forward.
Many highly educated people, who are still moving in high numbers,
have that long-term faith. Less-educated people often do not.
One of the oddities of the mobility that does exist is that people are
not moving to low-unemployment/high-income areas. Instead they are
moving to lower-income areas with cheap housing. That is to say, they
are less likely to endure temporary housing hardship for the sake of
future opportunity. They are more likely to move to places that offer
immediate comfort even if the long-term income prospects are lower.
This loss of faith is evident in other areas of life. Fertility rates, a
good marker of confidence, are down. Even accounting for cyclical
changes, people are less likely to voluntarily vacate a job in search of
a better one. Only 46 percent of white Americans believe they have a
good chance of improving their standard of living, the lowest levels in
the history of the General Social Survey.
Peter Beinart wrote a fascinating piece for National Journal, arguing that
Americans used to have much more faith in capitalism, a classless society,
America’s role in the world and organized religion than people from Europe.
But now American attitudes resemble European attitudes, and when you just
look at young people, American exceptionalism is basically gone.
Fifty percent of Americans over 65 believe America stands above
all others as the greatest nation on earth. Only 27 percent of Americans
ages 18 to 29 believe that. As late as 2003, Americans were more likely
than Italians, Brits and Germans to say the “free market economy is the
best system on which to base the future of the world.” By 2010, they
were slightly less likely than those Europeans to embrace capitalism.
Thirty years ago, a vast majority of Americans identified as members of the middle class. But since 1988, the percentage of Americans
who call themselves members of the “have-nots” has doubled. Today’s
young people are more likely to believe success is a matter of luck, not
effort, than earlier generations.
These pessimistic views bring to mind a concept that’s been floating
around Europe: the Precariat. According to British academic Guy Standing,
the Precariat is the growing class of people living with short-term and
part-time work with precarious living standards and “without a narrative
of occupational development.” They live with multiple forms of insecurity
and are liable to join protest movements across the political spectrum.
The American Precariat seems more hunkered down, insecure, risk
averse, relying on friends and family but without faith in American
possibilities. This fatalism is historically uncharacteristic of America.
No one response is going to reverse the trend, but Michael Strain of the
American Enterprise Institute believes government should offer moving
vouchers to the long-term unemployed so they can chase opportunity. If we
could induce more people to Go West! (or South, East or North) in search
of opportunity, maybe the old future-oriented mindset would return.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

David
Brooks

Writing Off the Unemployed
Back in 1987 my Princeton colleague Alan
Blinder published a very good book titled Hard
Heads, Soft Hearts. It was, as you might guess, a
call for tough-minded but compassionate economic
policy. Unfortunately, what we actually got – especially, although not only, from Republicans – was the
opposite. And it’s difficult to find a better example of
the hardhearted, softheaded nature of today’s GOP
than what happened last week, as Senate Republicans
once again used the filibuster to block aid to the longterm unemployed.
What do we know
about long-term unemployment in America?
First, it’s still at
near-record
levels.
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
Historically, the longterm unemployed – those out of work for 27 weeks or
more – have usually been between 10 and 20 percent
of total unemployment. Today the number is 35.8
percent. Yet extended unemployment benefits, which
went into effect in 2008, have been allowed to lapse.
As a result, few of the long-term unemployed are
receiving any kind of support.
Second, if you think the typical long-term unemployed American is one of Those People – nonwhite,
poorly educated, etc. – you’re wrong, according to
research by the Urban Institute’s Josh Mitchell. Half
of the long-term unemployed are non-Hispanic whites.
College graduates are less likely to lose their jobs than
workers with less education, but once they do they are
actually a bit more likely than others to join the ranks of
the long-term unemployed. And workers older than 45
are especially likely to spend a long time unemployed.
Third, in a weak job market long-term unemployment tends to be self-perpetuating, because employers in effect discriminate against the jobless. Many
people have suspected that this was the case, and
last year Rand Ghayad of Northeastern University
provided a dramatic confirmation. He sent out thousands of fictitious résumés in response to job ads, and
found that potential employers were drastically less
likely to respond if the fictitious applicant had been
out of work more than six months, even if he or she
was better qualified than other applicants.
What all of this suggests is that the long-term
unemployed are mainly victims of circumstances –
ordinary American workers who had the bad luck to
lose their jobs (which can happen to anyone) at a time

Paul
Krugman

of extraordinary labor market weakness, with three
times as many people seeking jobs as there are job
openings. Once that happened, the very fact of their
unemployment made it very hard to find a new job.
So how can politicians justify cutting off modest
financial aid to their unlucky fellow citizens?
Some Republicans justified last week’s filibuster
with the tired old argument that we can’t afford to
increase the deficit. Actually, Democrats paired the benefits extension with measures to increase tax receipts.
But in any case this is a bizarre objection at a time when
federal deficits are not just falling, but clearly falling too
fast, holding back economic recovery.
For the most part, however, Republicans justify
refusal to help the unemployed by asserting that we
have so much long-term unemployment because people
aren’t trying hard enough to find jobs, and that extended
benefits are part of the reason for that lack of effort.
People who say things like this – people like, for
example, Sen. Rand Paul – probably imagine that
they’re being tough-minded and realistic. In fact,
however, they’re peddling a fantasy at odds with all
the evidence. For example: if unemployment is high
because people are unwilling to work, reducing the
supply of labor, why aren’t wages going up?
But evidence has a well-known liberal bias. The
more their economic doctrine fails – remember how
the Fed’s actions were supposed to produce runaway
inflation? – the more fiercely conservatives cling to that
doctrine. More than five years after a financial crisis
plunged the Western world into what looks increasingly
like a quasi-permanent slump, making nonsense of freemarket orthodoxy, it’s hard to find a leading Republican
who has changed his or her mind on, well, anything.
And this imperviousness to evidence goes along
with a stunning lack of compassion.
If you follow debates over unemployment, it’s
striking how hard it is to find anyone on the
Republican side even hinting at sympathy for the
long-term jobless. Being unemployed is always presented as a choice, as something that only happens
to losers who don’t really want to work. Indeed,
one often gets the sense that contempt for the unemployed comes first, that the supposed justifications
for tough policies are after-the-fact rationalizations.
The result is that millions of Americans have in
effect been written off – rejected by potential employers, abandoned by politicians whose fuzzy-mindedness is matched only by the hardness of their hearts.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

NATIONAL

The Harder
They Fall

As many skeptics predicted, the moment the stock market began to
wobble out of concern for a pull back of the Federal Reserve’s massive stimulus policy, the Fed’s new chief Janet Yellen jumped into a
chair in front of a congressional committee Tuesday to assure everyone
that she’s not going to deviate from the policies of Ben Bernanke, her
predecessor.
Lo and behold (and yes, fairy tale language is appropriate here!), the
U.S. stock market leaped up over a full percent while she was speaking
before the House Financial Services Committee. It is yet another indicator that the stock market has become
completely disassociated from the real
economy, and is responsive only to the
moves by the Fed to keep the floodgates
of liquidity open to the biggest financial
Falls Church news-press
institutions, banks and related investors.
As commentator Mike Whitney wrote in an article entitled “Prelude
to a Crash” in last week’s online Information Clearing House, “Investors
have shrugged off dismal earnings reports, abnormally-high unemployment, flagging demand, droopy incomes, stagnant wages and swollen
P/E ratios, and loaded up on stocks confident that the Fed’s infusions of
liquidity will keep prices going higher.”
He added, “It’s only a matter of time before they see the mistake
they’ve made.”
The Fed’s current stimulus policy has led to an excess of risk taking, the practice of incurring massive short-term debt to buy into the
Fed’s gravy-day policies. It’s a massive growth of a debt bubble that
is collateralized against only itself, but nothing grounded in the real
economy.
On a global scale, the picture is even more dire, even as Wall Street
investors, big banks, the Fed and Capital Hill policy makers continue
to whistle in the dark.
As Morgan Stanley’s Ruchir Sharma wrote recently in the
Financial Times, the biggest threat to the stability of the global monetary system is the debt bubble that has built up in China.
China, yes China, as Sharma underscored in an interview on
Fareed Zakaria’s weekly show on CNN, now contributes more to
global growth than the U.S. Whereas its share in global growth
was 10 percent in 1999, compared to 33 percent for the U.S., it has
swollen to 36 percent in 2013, while the U.S. share has shrunk to
19 percent.
Accomplished through incredible seven-to-eight percent annual
growth in their gross domestic product (GDP) in recent years, China’s
debt as percentage of GDP has grown from 135 percent in 2000 to
231 percent in 2013. Another way of seeing the problem is this: from
2002-2008, it took $1.4 in debt for China to produce $1 in growth, but
in the 2009-2013 time frame, it has cost China $3.4 in debt to generate
$1 in growth.
Therefore, China’s zeal to continue seven or eight percent annual
GDP growth is running up against a very troubling reality. If the country were forced to slow down to even four or five percent annual GDP
growth, the consequences for the rest of the world, with its increasing
dependency on China, would be “seismic.”
The inefficient growth of debt is at the heart of the impending crises for both the U.S. and China. It’s the same scenario that led to the
crash of 2008. We are looking down the barrel of a massive repeat,
orders of magnitude bigger, than 2008.
The problem has been the political and policy disconnect between
the accumulation of debt to buy into stimulus programs – either in the
U.S. or in China – and the pressing needs of the real economy to have
access to that capital.
All the data shows that little or nothing of the Fed stimulus is
“trickling down” to strengthen the middle class, improve a crumbling national infrastructure or provide for a sustainable job-creating
industrial-grounded economy.
On the contrary, mega-banks like Wells Fargo, who are feeding at
the trough of the Fed stimulus, are not only reticent to lend to small
businesses, but are using their Fed-backed muscle to ravage them, as
I have witnessed first hand. Buoyed by the Feds, Wells Fargo in the
Washington, D.C. area, for example, has decided to call in small business loans for no other reason than because it can.

February 13 – 19, 2014 | PAGE 13

Nicholas F.
Benton

 Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.

Still Mad as Hell
I often wonder what Paddy would think.
I wish I could have a pastrami on wry with the late
writer and satirist at the Carnegie Deli and get an exhilarating blast of truth about “the atomic, subatomic and
galactic structure of things today.”
What would Paddy Chayefsky make of Kim
Kardashian? What would he think of Diane Sawyer showing cat videos on the ABC evening news? What would he
say about Brian Williams broadcasting on the HuntleyBrinkley network a video of a pig saving a baby goat
while admitting he had no idea if it was phony? (It was.)
What would Paddy rant about the viral, often venomous
world of the Internet, Twitter and cable news, where fake
rage is all the rage all the time, bleeding over into a Congress
that chooses antagonism over accomplishment, no over yes?
What would he think of ominous corporate “synergy”
run amok, where “news” seamlessly blends into promotion, where it’s frighteningly easy for corporate commercial interests to dictate
editorial content?
What
would
Paddy say about the
Murdochization of the
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
news, where a network
slants its perspective because it sells and sells big?
What would he make of former Time Inc. Editor-inChief Norman Pearlstine returning in a new position as
Time Inc.’s chief content officer, breaking the firewall
between editorial and business as he works “with business
and edit teams to drive the development of new content
experiences and products throughout our portfolio that
will fuel future revenue growth,” as CEO Joe Ripp put it?
What would Paddy think of American corporations
skipping out on taxes by earning nearly half of their
profits in tax-haven countries? What would he think of
the unholy alliance between Internet giants like Google
and Facebook and the U.S. national security apparatus?
Chayefsky’s dazzling satire “Network,” with its
unforgettable mad prophet of the airwaves, Howard
Beale, blossomed from the writer’s curdled feelings
about TV. What wouldn’t the network suits do for ratings, he would ask lunch companions like Mel Brooks
and Bob Fosse at the Carnegie Deli.
But now America runs on clicks. Chayefsky’s nightmare has been multiplied many times over, with the total
media-ization and monetization of everything, the supremacy of ratings and market share, the commercialization of
all editorial decisions. Now that they’re armed with big data
and science, corporate bosses are able to figure out how

Maureen
Dowd

many people are watching which minute of which segment.
An analytics service called Chartbeat gives webmasters instantaneous access to those on the other side of the
screen by providing real-time data on their mouse clicks,
time spent reading or watching and even their location.
In his fun upcoming book Mad as Hell: The Making
of Network and the Fateful Vision of the Angriest Man
in Movies, Dave Itzkoff, a culture reporter at The Times,
offers a vivid portrait of the charming and depressed
curmudgeon.
Itzkoff has great anecdotes about Faye Dunaway’s
prima donna paranoia about the most brilliant lovework sex scene in movie history. And he dishes up fun
factoids, like how Howard Beale got his name from
the mother-daughter duo, “Big Edie” and “Little Edie”
Beale, and how Peter Finch flubbed and added an extra
“as” to one of the most famous lines in movie history,
which Chayefsky wrote this way: “I’m mad as hell and
I’m not going to take it any more.”
The Bronx-born writer, who died of cancer in 1981,
was bedraggled and “built like an office safe,” as the
director Joshua Logan put it. He did exhaustive research
into networks in New York but then had to film the
movie at a Toronto TV station once the American networks realized the piece was a Strangelovey dirge.
Chayefsky said his 1976 masterpiece was “a rage against
the dehumanization of people” addicted to “boredom-killing” devices – a dehumanization that has gone to warp speed
as we have entered the cloud. He said it was about “how to
protect ourselves” from “the illusion we sell as truth.”
That illusion is ever more pervasive as people
believe and spread wacky viral content like snow-covered Pyramids, a half-toilet in Sochi and a story about
Samsung paying Apple a billion-dollar fine in nickels.
Chayefsky warned against “comicalizing the news,”
noting, “To make a gag out of the news is disreputable and
extremely destructive.” But real news became so diminished that young people turned to Jon Stewart and Stephen
Colbert to learn about what was going on in the world.
Colbert told Itzkoff that “Network” is his favorite movie.
Although Howard Beale is not an inspiration for his bombastic TV alter ego, Colbert said that the Beale character
anticipated an attitude those types of broadcasters share,
which is “I will tell you what to think.” Beale’s approach, the
comic said, was more “quasi-benevolent,” as in “I’m going
to remind you that you’re being anesthetized right now.”
If Paddy, who used to say “truth is truth,” could see
how far beyond “Network” we’ve gone, he would not
only be mad as hell. He’d be scared as hell.

comme nt

PAGE 14 | FEBRUARY 13 - 19, 2014

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church
By Supervisor Penny Gross

Every year, elected officials from Virginia’s local
governments trek to Richmond for what is known as
VACo/VML Legislative Day, an opportunity to buttonhole Senators and Delegates about how issues
under consideration at the General Assembly affect
localities. More than 400 supervisors, city and
town council members, and administrators gathered
last Thursday to learn more about activities at the
Capitol, and hear a luncheon speech from our new
governor, Terry McAuliffe.
Nearly all local jurisdictions belong to either
the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) or the
Virginia Municipal League (VML), whose professional legislative staff keep a close eye on bills
snaking their way through the arcane process in
Richmond. Of intense interest this year are bills
that would reduce or remove local authority in land
use and zoning decisions, as well as budget amendments that would fund more realistic costs for transportation, insurance, and utilities. On the technical
side, unfunded liabilities for teacher retirement
plans in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), are
being pushed down to the local level by the state.
Such action makes the state’s balance sheet look
great, while nearly bankrupting smaller jurisdictions that now must carry the former state debt
on their books. Without a legislative change, an
estimated $13 billion in unfunded teacher pension
liabilities will be assigned to the school divisions,
and must appear on the financial reports of localities beginning next year.
One interesting piece of information gleaned
on Thursday was a bill that would allow residents
and businesses of other states to file requests

and receive documents under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA). Currently, the state and
localities have to fill FOIA requests from citizens
of the Commonwealth and the media, but not for
persons who live out of state. FOIA requests take
significant staff time to respond, and out of state
companies often use the information for their
own sales purposes. The statutory timeframe for
responding to FOIA requests, usually five to seven
days, means that staff are taken from their regular
responsibilities to respond to FOIA inquiries, reducing the amount of time they have to serve constituents in the community. The Virginia FOIA Advisory
Council declined to endorse the legislation, and late
in the day, the House Subcommittee on General
Laws continued the bill to 2015.
One delightful new event at VACo/VML Day
was an invitation from Governor McAuliffe for
a late-day reception at the Executive Mansion.
Longtime elected officials could not remember the
last time a sitting Virginia governor had extended
such a gracious invitation. The mansion is on the
grounds of the Capitol, and underwent an extensive
renovation in 1998. In those genteel and historic
surroundings, elected officials had one-on-one conversations with Governor McAuliffe, Lt. Governor
Ralph Northam, and Secretary of Education Anne
Holton. Such bi-partisan social occasions build
valuable relationships between state and local level
officials, as we face future challenges together.
 Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in
the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be
emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Congressman Moran’s News Commentary

We Need Stronger Regulations by the EPA
By James P. Moran

Eighty-two tons of coal ash
poured out of the Dan River Steam
Station’s 27 acre waste pond and
into the Dan River on the VirginiaCarolina border last week in the
third largest coal ash spill in U.S.
history. Water carrying high levels
of arsenic, lead, mercury, selenium, and many other deadly toxins
are being carried downstream and
into towns like Danville, Virginia.
Coal-fired power plants like
the Dan River Steam Station are
the single largest source of both
air and water pollution in this
country. These power plants are
responsible for over half the toxic
pollution dumped into our rivers, lakes, and streams every year,
impairing hundreds of bodies of
water across the country annually. Additionally, 40 percent of
our country’s carbon pollution,
fueling irreversible global climate
change, comes from coal-fired
power plants.
Utility providers store coal ash,
a byproduct of coal burning, in
large open air basins, often near

major waterways. While some
utilities have invested in improved
technologies, stripping toxins from
the water, too many rely on these
outdated and ineffective treatment
methods that leave acres of contaminated waste water stored perilously close to our drinking water.
This practice has proven ineffective at separating the toxins
produced from burning coal from
the water that is eventually, and as
in the case of the Dan River Steam
Station, accidentally, discharged
into our sources of drinking water.
Stronger EPA standards are critical
for enforcing the use of modern,
affordable treatment technologies
that remove these hazards and
protect our waterways.
When the levees securing these
basins fail, the consequences can
be catastrophic. High profile spills
have ruined millions of gallons of
drinking water in towns throughout Appalachia. A similar spill in
Tennessee in 2008 poured a billion
gallons of coal ash into the Clinch
River. In 2000, a ruptured basin

dumped over 300 million gallons
of coal slurry into the Tug Fork
River. These are not isolated cases.
For years, science has shaped
environmental regulations through
EPA’s use of the Clean Water and
Clean Air Acts. Unfortunately,
special interests have orchestrated misinformation campaigns to
scare consumers and roll back the
very same environmental protections that would prevent disasters
like these. Despite all of this, poll
after poll shows Virginia voters
support reducing pollution and
protecting our air and water.
We cannot continue allowing third party interests and Tea
Party extremists to erode our environmental protections. The EPA
needs to set stronger regulations
that would drastically reduce the
amount of toxic and harmful pollutants discharged into our rivers,
lakes, and streams. This would
eliminate billions of tons in unnecessary, unwanted, and dangerous
pollution each year, making thousands of miles of waterways safer.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Senator Dick Saslaw’s

Richmond Report
From fox penning to ratification
of the Equal Rights Amendment, a
diverse array of legislation has
made its way through the Senate
of Virginia. The same is true for
the House of Delegates. Now that
we enter crossover, both chambers will review any approved
legislation from the other house.
Additionally, the budget bill is
working its way through each
Chamber and will be reconciled
before the final gavel falls on
March 8.
One of the most significant
developments this session was
the Senate reorganization following the elections of Jennifer
Wexton and Lynwood Lewis
to fill the vacated seats of Lt.
Governor Ralph Northam and
Attorney General Mark Herring
in the Senate. Following precedent set by Senate Republicans
in the 2012 Session, Senate
Democrats used the tie-breaking power of the Lieutenant
Governor to reshape committee assignments. Democrats now
chair and make up a majority of
most committees in the Senate.
Medicaid expansion remains
a highly contentious issue at the
capital. Thousands of Virginians
– mostly working poor, seniors
and others stand to benefit from
expansion. If the legislature
embraces expansion, 25,200 veterans and their spouses would
qualify for health coverage
through Medicaid. Moreover,
there are 41,721 adults in the
35th District alone who would
gain health coverage through
expansion. The Department of
Medical Assistance Services
reports Virginia would save nearly $1 billion by 2022 by expanding the health program. It makes
absolutely no sense to continue
resisting this initiative. If the legislature fails to expand Medicaid,
the costs of emergency medical
care for the uninsured, are going
to continue to fall on businesses
and insured individuals.
Mental health reform is making its way through the legislature. An omnibus bill, SB260,
being carried by Senator Creigh
Deeds contains a package of
reforms aimed at enhancing service in our mental health system. The bill passed the Senate
without any opposition. One
significant change is extending
the time of an emergency custody order from 4 hours to 24
hours. This bill will also establish a bed registry that would

make it easier for community
services boards to locate a bed
for a patient. Additionally, it
mandates that the community
services boards spend no less
than four hours searching for
a bed, and if they fail to find
one, then the Department of
Behavioral Health and Human
Services shall be contacted.
The Department will assist the
community services boards in
finding a bed, and if no bed
can be located by the last hour
of an emergency custody order,
then the Department may place
an individual in a state facility.
These initiatives are necessary to
insure that Virginia provides the
best care for its patients, as well
as maintains public safety.
In response to what is now
known as “gift-gate,” ethics
reform is another top priority
for the Session. A bill (SB649)
has passed the Senate that would
establish the Virginia Conflict
of Interest and Ethics Advisory
Council. The Council would be
tasked with oversight of gifts to
legislators from lobbyists and
other persons, post disclosure
forms online, and provide opinions, advice, and education. It
also requires gifts to immediate
family members to be disclosed,
and limits tangible gifts to legislators and certain executive officers
to $250. Having served for a good
many years, let me just say that I
cannot recall any instance when a
registered lobbyist was the cause
of misconduct by an elected official. I believe that either a person
has a correctly calibrated moral
compass or not. The House has
its own version of a reform bill so
nothing is cut in stone yet.
In the remaining weeks of this
General Assembly, the state budget will be at the forefront as
debate begins on allocating funds.
Members of the legislature have
introduced well over $2 billion in
amendments to the proposed budget. I am confident that the budget
process will reflect the Senate’s
history of compromise and moderation combined with compassion and fiscal responsibility.
***
Town Hall Meeting – This
Saturday, February 15 from 10
a.m. – noon at Sleepy Hollow
Elementary. See you there!
 Senator Saslaw represents the
35th District in the Virginia State
Senate. He may be emailed at
district35@senate.virginia.gov.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

A nything

but

S t ra ig ht

Will Bigotry Stop Sam?

With polls showing that nearly 70 percent of people under the age
of 30 support marriage equality, it was only a matter of time before an
openly gay college star entered the draft of a major sports league. That
happened Sunday when University of Missouri’s Michael Sam, the SEC’s
Defensive Player of the Year, announced that he is gay and that he will try
to play in the National Football League.
At 6’3” and 260 pounds, only pure bigotry would keep Sam from
being drafted. Of course, no team’s management will outright admit to
blacklisting. I suspect that many owners will
parrot a YouTube video commenter, by using
the language of cold, sterile business-speak to
mask bigotry.
“He probably won’t be drafted to an NFL
team,” said the commenter. “No team wants the
media circus that will come with this guy. It will be a huge distraction to
the team and locker room. I have nothing against the guy, it’s just strictly
not a smart business decision to get involved with him.”
First, the idea that Sam will be a distraction that would harm the
team’s unity is preposterous. NFL teams always have controversies and
side dramas that rarely stop them from thriving. The most vivid example
is Seattle Seahawks defensive back Richard Sherman, whose tirade
against San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree dominated
the headlines leading up to the Super Bowl. Indeed, it is difficult to think
of a bigger distraction that took the focus away from the big game – yet
Seattle crushed the Denver Broncos 48-8.
Second, it is laughable to suggest that players won’t work hard and
would risk their lucrative careers because a gay man is on the team. With
an average NFL career little more than three years, the idea that players
aren’t going to give it their all on each snap is downright foolish.
Third, if the young college players and coaches at Mizzou had the
maturity to accept Sam, earn a 12-2 record, and win the Cotton Bowl, the
adults in the NFL ought not to have an issue.
Sure, there will be a few players who will have trouble wrapping their
concussed brains around the concept. New Orleans Saints linebacker
Jonathan Vilma responded to Sam’s announcement by saying “I think he
would not be accepted as much as we think he would be accepted.”
Such comments go to show that if dissension is caused in the locker room,
it won’t likely be from Sam, but other players who are expressing bigotry at
the expense of the team. A good coach who teaches discipline can put a stop
to this nonsense and ensure a safe work environment for all players. After all,
isn’t the NFL referred to as “professional” football? Those who can’t behave
like businessmen in an adult workplace do not belong in the league.
Sam received support this week from President Obama, but so did
Jason Collins who tried to become the first openly gay active player in the
National Basketball Association. Unfortunately, prejudice prevailed and
no one picked up Collins, who was a free agent.
This is outrageous considering the inferior product the NBA Eastern
Conference has put on the court this season. Couldn’t an underachieving, boring team going nowhere fast, such as the New York Knicks, sign
Collins to a contract? The Knicks (20-31) are a sorry group that is 27th
out of 30 teams in rebounds and is regularly showered by boos at Madison
Square Garden. The Knicks could use the seven-foot Collins to help with
their subpar rebounding, as well as add some excitement by breaking an
historic barrier in an otherwise forgettable season.
Of course, it is easy for NBA general managers to claim that Collins’
age – he is 35 – is the reason for their lack of interest (and for some teams
it may even be true). However, Sam is an accomplished NCAA athlete at
the peak of his athletic powers. If he isn’t drafted, he should sue the NFL
for discrimination. His lawyers could create a chart showing that virtually
all college players of similar size and on-field accomplishment were taken
high in the NFL draft.
Finally, it is outright bizarre that some players, scouts, and management will claim that locker room homophobia is necessary for team cohesiveness. How has loudly proclaiming that one does not sleep with men
and dehumanizing those that do lead to successful teams? If anything,
such bullying and ignorance puts off more intelligent teammates, who
simply go along with the stupidity to get along. Having a player like Sam
will finally free players with higher IQs to state how they really feel about
childish anti-gay slurs and locker room bullying.
It is time the NFL grows up and demands players and coaches stop
spewing anti-gay offensive lines, while making it clear that Sam must get
his chance to prove he can play on the defensive line.

Wayne
Besen

COMMENT

Our Man in Arlington
By Charlie Clark

My friends who own one of
Arlington’s most historic homes
opened it up last month to neighbors long-curious about what
163-year-old “Maple Shade” is
like on the inside.
Though many doubtless came
for the accompanying talk by
County Board candidate Alan
Howze, I was pleased to offer the
standing-room crowd at 2230 N.
Powhatan St. some details and
mythbusting on the lives of local
forebears.
The
white
colonnaded
“early classical revival” manse
was built as a farmhouse in
1851 by Virginia militia Capt.
Henry Febrey. Born to one of
Arlington’s most important 19thcentury land-owning families –
Febreys deeded much of today’s
Westover and Dominion Hills
areas flanking Washington and
Wilson boulevards – Henry and
his wife Margaret Payne raised
11 children in the home.
Their cotton farm of 177
acres between modern Lexington
Street and Quantico relied on
slaves (a story survives of a
homebuilder a few decades ago
discovering ancient shackles in
a backyard on Madison Street
and failing to preserve them).
Aside from serving in the 175th
militia, Henry Febrey served

February 13 – 19, 2014 | PAGE 15

what in his time
was Alexandria
County as a justice of the peace.
He
attended
Dulin United Methodist Church,
still open on East Broad Street in
Falls Church.
Henry was also the sole Febrey
to side with the Confederacy
during the Civil War, and therein
lies a tale.
The richest source for the
story of Maple Shade is the
1959 book Arlington Heritage
by Eleanor Lee Templeman. I
have long proclaimed myself a
Templeman fan. (I was probably
the last to interview her, having phoned her on a reporting
assignment in 1990 and heard
her say, “I’m sick in bed but I’ll
talk to you.” A week later I read
her obituary.)
But her write-up on Maple
Shade may have gone astray.
Because of action during
the Battle of Munson’s Hill (a
minor clash fought in autumn
1861 on the edges of Arlington
and Bailey’s Crossroads), Henry
Febrey’s home “bears within its
walls hidden scars,” Templeman
wrote. “One shot came through
the dining room and sheared off
the leg of a table set for dinner, without disturbing the meal
thereon.”
The current owners of the
elegant (and very livable)
home, Steve and Nancy Etkin,

C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h

CRIME REPORT
Week of February 3 – 9, 2014
Public Drunkenness, 300 Park
Ave. (Falls Church City Hall)
On Feb. 7, a male, 31, no fixed
address, was arrested for Public
Drunkenness.
Larceny from Building, 7130
Leesburg Pike (Mary Ellen
Henderson) On Feb. 7, cash was
stolen from a locker room.
Assault & Battery, 1000 block
W. Broad St. On Feb. 7, a male,
18, of Burke, was arrested and
released on summons for Assault
& Battery.
Assault & Battery on a Law
Enforcement Officer, Public
Drunkenness, and Contributing to
the Delinquency of a Minor, Liquor
Law Violations, 205 Hillwood Ave.
(Marriott Town Place Suites) On
Feb. 8, police responded to the
area for a report of excessive noise.

A female, 19, of Falls Church;
a female, 18, of Falls Church; a
male, 20, of Falls Church; a male,
20, of Falls Church; and a male,
19, of Falls Church, were arrested and released on summons for
Underage Possession of Alcohol.
A male, 22, of Falls Church, was
arrested and released on summons for Contributing to the the
Delinquency of a Minor. While officers were conducting the investigation, a male, 22, of Springfield,
assaulted two officers. The suspect was arrested for two counts
of Assault & Battery on a Law
Enforcement Officer, Contributing
to the Delinquency of a Minor, and
Public Drunkenness.
Driving Under the Influence,
6600 block Wilson Blvd. On Feb.
8, an officer conducted a traffic
stop for a motor vehicle violation.
The driver, a male, 30, of Arlington,
was arrested for Driving Under the
Influence.

despite executing countless
historically respectful renovations inside and out, have never
found “scars.” My efforts with
Arlington Public Library archivists to nail down the claim
came up dry.
But give Templeman credit
for describing how the home
evolved after it passed from the
Febreys in 1919. A buyer named
Albert Paxton began improvements that included reversing
the front and back entrances and
adding columns, dormer windows and a rooftop balustrade.
The name “Maple Shade” grew
from the “stately grove of trees
framing it.”
As the neighborhood suburbanized in the 1950s, a subdivision sprung up around the site
as ownership turned over from
Paxton to Coxen to Hoge to
Logtens and, finally, in 1984,
Etkins. Even when adding a carport, Steve and Nancy preserved
the design’s integrity. He showed
me what seems an early ‘50s
snapshot showing horses in the
front corral.
Not all passersby realize it,
but remnants of two stone columns that once marked entry to
the farm stand today at Quantico
and North 22nd Road.
Maple Shade is among the
few Arlington homes with real
(closable) shutters. It’s worth a
peek – even if you don’t get
inside.
Vandalism to Vehicle, 1216 W.
Broad St. (Pietanza) On Feb. 8,
police received a report that a
cigarette butt was thrown into a
vehicle and burned part of the
upholstery.
Smoking In a Non-Designated
Area, 6757 Wilson Blvd. (Café
Le Mirage) On Feb. 9, a male,
40, of Springfield, was arrested
and released on summons for
Permitting Smoking In a NonDesignated Area.
Public Drunkenness, 103 W.
Columbia St. (Columbia Baptist
Church) On Feb. 9, a male, 31,
no fixed address, was arrested for
Public Drunkenness.
Larceny
from
Building,
155 Hillwood Ave. (Halalco
Supermarket) On Feb. 9, an unattended purse was stolen.

Business News & Notes
Crisp & Juicy Relocating to Tysons Station Shopping Center
Crisp & Juicy is relocating its Broad Street restaurant to 7500 Leesburg Pike in the
Tysons Station Shopping Center. As reported in the last edition of the News-Press, the
current Crisp & Juicy site at 913 W. Broad Street will become an Einstein Bros. Bagels in
March. Crisp & Juicy operates six Peruvian chicken restaurants in Maryland and another
one in Virginia at 4540 Lee Highway in Arlington. For more information, visit crispjuicy.
com. For more information about Einstein Bros. Bagels see the February 6 – 12 edition of
the Falls Church News-Press or visit einsteinbros.com.

F.C. Police Chief, Officer to be Featured Speakers at Chamber Luncheon
Falls Church City Police Chief Mary Gavin and Officer James Brooks will be the
featured speakers at the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce’s Networking Luncheon on
Tuesday, February 18. The presentation will include safety measures that business owners
and managers can implement to protect their businesses and employees. The luncheon
will take place Tuesday, February 18 from 11:30 – 1:15pm at the Italian Café, 7161 Lee
Highway. Tickets with reservations are $27 for members, $32 for nonmembers. An additional $5 will be charged for walk-ins should seating be available. For more information or
to reserve a seat, visit www.FallsChurchChamber.org.

Call now for a FREE in-home
design consultation!

1-888-886-6133
www.shelfgenie.com

Arlington Chamber President Steps Down After 23 Years
After 23 years as president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Rich Doud
will retire from his position effective May 15, 2014. Doud has served as the Chamber’s
President since September of 1990. Under his leadership, the Chamber has made a
number of achievements, including creating the Arlington Business Hall of Fame to recognize impactful business leaders in the community, developing the Community Action
Committee to build stronger relationships between businesses and nonprofits, ensuring firm financial stability for the Chamber, and founding Leadership Arlington. 2014
Chamber Chair Tim Hughes of Bean, Kinney & Korman, will head a search committee
seeking candidates to fill Doud’s position. Plans for a celebration honoring the long time
Arlington Chamber leader will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit
www.arlingtonchamber.org.

Mad Fox Announces 4th Barleywine Festival
Mad Fox Brewing Company has announced that its 4th Annual Barleywine Festival
will be held Saturday, February 22 (two sessions: 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.) and Sunday, February
23 (10 a.m. – 11 p.m.). The two-day event will feature Mad Fox’s own Barleywines, the
last keg of its Oak-aged Slobberknocker, and some favorites from more than 30 other breweries selected by the brewery team, led by CEO and Executive Brewer Bill Madden and
Head Brewer Charlie Buettner. Barleywines are strong beers typically brewed for special
occasions, such as coronations, and seasonally, for holiday celebrations. Admission is free.
Samplings and festival-specific specials along with its usual menu options will be offered
both days. A preview event will be held Thursday, February 20 from 3 – 9 p.m. Mad Fox is
located at 444 W. Broad Street in Falls Church. For more information, visit madfoxbrewing.com.

Rutherford to Make Md. Lieutenant Governor Run
Benton Potter & Murdock, P.C., has announced that Boyd Rutherford, of Counsel
with the firm, is running for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor for the
State of Maryland. Larry Hogan, Jr., announced Rutherford as his running mate when
he announced his own candidacy for Maryland Governor. The two previously worked
together as cabinet Secretaries in the Administration of Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, where
Rutherford served as the Secretary of the Department of General Services. His inclusion on
the Gubernatorial ticket has been termed “a solid pick” (Professor Todd Eberly, St. Mary’s
College ) and as “enhancing the ticket” (Maryland Reporter). For more information, please
contact Rutherford at bkr@bpmlawyers.com.
 Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of
Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@
fallschurchchamber.org.

LOCAL

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Fa l l s C h u r c h

FEBRUARY 13 – 19, 2014 | PAGE 17

School News & Notes

WHEN THE FALLS CHURCH CITY SCHOOL BOARD ARRIVED AT WORK for their regular meeting this week they found appreciation in the form of signs, cards, and homemade goodies. All
students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and Mount Daniel School signed giant posters
which adorned the Council Chambers. (FCCPS Photo)

Mason Scholastic Bowl
Takes 2nd at Regionals
George Mason High School’s
scholastic bowl team went 6-1 at
the 2A East Region tournament
last Saturday at Maggie Walker
Governor’s School in Richmond,
earning the team a spot at the
state tournament on Feb. 22 at The
College of William and Mary.
Mason finished second to the host
team, ending a two-and-a-half-year
win streak for the Mustangs. The
last time Mason’s scholastic bowl
team lost was to Clarke County
High School on Nov. 21, 2011.
Mason was dominant in every
game except the loss to Maggie
Walker, a national quiz bowl power
and perennial AAA finalist until
being reclassified as 2A for this year.
Mason beat Prince Edward County
High School 310-80, Goochland
High School 325-85, and Robert
E. Lee High School 285-130 before
losing to Maggie Walker 280-140.
Mason then beat Clarke County
300-150 to set up a game against
the only other one-loss team left,
Nandua High School. After falling behind early, GM’s team came
roaring back to dominate Nandua
310-120 to guarantee second place
and a spot at the state tournament.
They then finished the round robin
format, defeating Riverheads High
School 280-165, to finish the day 6-1
and take the runner-up spot in the 2A
East Region.
The team was led in scoring

by its seniors Alex Warren and
Elinore McLain, with scoring
help from senior Matt Earman
and junior Jarman Taylor. The
team is coached by Jamie Scharff.

Lena Burleson, Gwyneth Pasch,
and Michelle Graham. Hoak, a
freshman, was also selected to
audition for state band in February
at James Madison University.

Mary Ellen Henderson Middle
School seventh-grader Annie
Castillo recently received a Gold
Keys Award, a Silver Keys Award,
and an Honorable Mention Award
in the prestigious DC Regional
Scholastic Writing contest. Her
Gold Keys Award-winning essay,
“Wishing Grapes,” will be adjudicated on the national level.

7 Mason Musicians Make
District X Honor Band
Seven George Mason High
School musicians successfully
auditioned into the District X
District Band.
More than 800 musicians
auditioned for this select honor
band, which convened earlier this
month at Hayfield Secondary
School in an event that culminated in an afternoon concert.
Musicians representing George
Mason High School there were
Noah Saberhagen, Max Hendrix,
Arijeet Sensharma, Lucy Hoak,

F.C. Ed Foundation Donates
iPads to Mason MAX
The George Mason High
School
MAX
(Mustangs
Achieving eXcellence) program
recently received a gift of iPads
and financial support in the form
of a grant from the Falls Church
Education Foundation.
Mason MAX meet twice a
week after school for structured
sessions aimed at enhancing literacy skill with a focus on comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency.
The students are using various literacy apps such as one specifically
designed to strengthen vocabulary
of words often found on the SAT.
Their teachers are Marleah
Liebner and Courtney Benedick.

Look to us
for Expert
Eye Care

You’ll
Love Us!
If it’s been a while since you updated your
eyeglasses, you may be surprised by how much your
vision needs have changed. Come in today for an
exam, and see if it’s time for a new lens prescription.
And while you’re here, check our the
latest looks in fashion frames.
• Prescription Sunglasses • Computer Glasses
• Inexpensive Eyewear For Contact Lens Wearers

701 W. Broad St. (Rte 7) Falls Church VA

703-237-6500

www.pointofvieweyewear.com

PAGE 18 | February 13 – 19, 2014

SPORTS

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Mason Girls Basketball Ties for District Top Spot
by Drew Costley

Falls Church News-Press

George Mason High School’s
varsity girls basketball team tied
with Clarke County High School
for the Bull Run District regular season title after the Mustangs
lost their second district matchup
of the season last Thursday. The
Mustangs’ 57-53 loss to Warren
County High School last week was
only their second in the district
since the 2010-11 season, but has
given the Bull Run District playoffs renewed importance.
Several Mustang players said
their team came out flat against the
Warren County Wildcats.
“There was a lacking of energy,
and Warren County came out ...
hungry for that win,” said junior
forward Katie Goodwin, who led
the Mustangs in scoring with 24
points and grabbed 12 rebounds
against the Wildcats. “It was their
senior night. They gave it everything they’ve got.”
Warren County, who ended the
season in third place in the district,
is the only team in the district
to beat both George Mason and
the Clarke County Eagles. Warren
County’s win against the Mustangs
last Thursday put George Mason
and Clarke County into a tie for the
regular season district title and first
place in Conference 35.
The Mustangs won their firstround matchup in the district tournament by defeating Manassas
Park High School 57-28 on
Monday. The Cougars were only
down 13-7 at the end of the first
period, but were outscored by the
Mustangs 24-5 in the second quarter and never got back in the game.
The Mustangs went on a 10-0 run
in the last three minutes of the first
half. They also committed 15 turn-

overs in the first half, which they
attempted to correct after halftime.
“We tried to focus more on our
passing, to not make as crazy passes
and to really control the ball more,”
said junior forward Micaela Albright,
who led the Mustangs in scoring
with 12 points against the Cougars.
Freshman guard Coral Gillette
added nine points and senior guard
Julianna Rollo added seven points
to the Mustangs’ tally.
“I thought our defense [played]
really well. We started talking
towards the end of the game,”
Rollo said. “I thought on offense
we did pretty well. Our shots
weren’t always falling but we kept
shooting.”
The Mustangs went on to beat
Strasburg High School 57-31 in
the semifinals of the district playoffs on Tuesday. Goodwin led the
Mustangs in scoring and rebounding with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
George Mason held Strasburg to 17
points in the first half.
“We played great defense …
[and] played an all-around good
game,” said Mason Head Coach
LaBryan Thomas.
The Mustangs moved on to
play the Clarke County Eagles
in the district championship on
Wednesday at Strasburg, but results
of the game were not available at
press time.
Under the Virginia High School
League’s realignment, which went
into effect this season, schools were
organized into new regions and
organized into conferences instead
of districts. The outcome of the
conference tournaments determines
who moves on to the regional playoffs, whereas in the past the outcome of district tournaments determined the regional competitors.
Under the realignment, districts
were free to continue organizing

Mason Wrestler Wins
Conference Crown
The George Mason High School
wrestling team traveled to Strasburg
High School last Saturday to compete in the Conference 35 tournament. Although a number of missing weights hindered the Mustangs
from a team perspective, many
quality individual performances
were turned in, including a firstplace finish by Mason’s Max Aifer.

Mason senior guard Jaya Chavern attempts to dribble past freshman guard Jessica Tibbs and
sophomore forward Paulina Geoffrey. The Mustangs outscored the Cougars 24-5 in the second
quarter to finish out the first half up 37-12. (Photo: Drew Costley)
ference at the end of the regular
season, the district tournament has
become more important for both
teams: Whichever team wins the
tournament gets the top seed in the
conference tournament.
“We hold our own destiny in
our hands. All we have to do is
win out,” said Thomas. “If we win
out, more than likely we’ll be the
number one seed in the conference
and that’s big because the number

one seed in the conference gets a
[first-round] bye.”
Along with the first-round bye
is an automatic berth to the Region
2A East tournament. Every other
team in the Conference 35 playoffs has to at least advance to the
semifinal round to make it to the
regional playoffs. Regardless of the
outcome of the district playoffs, the
Mustangs open up the Conference
35 playoffs at home on Monday.

Marshall Wins Conference
Gymnastics Championship

(8.875), and third in all-around
(33.975). Freshman Lindsay Price
finished fourth on vault with a
score of 8.750.
Stahl and Howard competed
in regionals last year, with Stahl
advancing to and placing at the
state level.
Marshall finished in first place
with a total score of 136.775.
Mount Vernon was second with
124.075. These two teams will
move on to the 5A North regional
championships this Friday, Feb.
14, at Stone Bridge High School
in Ashburn. Although individual gymnasts from Marshall have
advanced to regionals and states
in recent years, this marks the
first time since 1977 that Marshall
will advance as a team to regional
competition.

their schedules according to their
traditional districts and playing district postseason tournaments, but
the outcome of the regular season
and postseason play would not necessarily have an impact on the conference, regional, or state playoff
qualification or seeding. In theory,
this would make district play a formality. But because George Mason
and Clarke County were tied for
first place in the district and con-

Forty varsity gymnasts from
eight schools competed in the
first-ever Conference 13 championships, following the VHSL
realignment, last Monday, Feb.
3, and the team from George C.
Marshall High School came out on
top. With the victory, the Marshall
team advances to the regional
championship, marking the first
time in nearly 40 years that the
team has done so.
The competition, which took
place at Mount Vernon High
School, saw gymnasts from
the following schools compete:

Thomas Edison, Falls Church,
Robert E. Lee, George C. Marshall,
Mount Vernon, J.E.B. Stuart,
and Wakefield high schools, and
Thomas Jefferson High School for
Science and Technology.
Marshall junior Morgan Stahl
placed first on vault (9.5), bars
(9.2), and beam (9.775), and also
took first in all-around with a
total score of 37.700. Senior cocaptain Casey Howard placed
first on floor exercise with a
score of 9.525. Freshman Kiran
Sullivan placed fourth on uneven
bars (7.900), second on beam

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

SPORTS

February 13 – 19, 2014 | PAGE 19

Eagles Bump Mustangs from District Hoops Tourney
by Drew Costley

Falls Church News-Press

George Mason High School’s
boys varsity basketball team was
eliminated from the Bull Run
District tournament in the opening round by Clarke County High
School on Monday in a 53-33
defeat. The Mustangs’ loss was
their second straight by double digits – they lost 54-38 to Warren
County High School on Friday.
The Clarke County Eagles were
up 12-10 after a first quarter in
which both teams traded scores
throughout the period. Eagles senior
guard Josh Gray scored the first
basket of the second quarter to go
up 14-10 and Mustang sophomore
forward Robert Tartt hit a basket
to bring the score to 14-12. But the
Mustangs were held scoreless for
the rest of the second quarter while
the Eagles went on a 12-point run,
topped off by a rebounded tip-in by
Eagles senior center Colton Chrane
at the end of the half.
“We only scored 12 first-half
[points] in our house; that’s not
going to win any games,” Tartt said.
He was the leading scorer on either
team with 16 points. The Mustangs
play the Eagles next Monday at
home in the opening round of the
Conference 35 tournament.
“We just need to work on bringing 110 percent every time we play.
... It’s not like we can’t beat them,”
Tartt said. “We went to their house
and beat them by eight [or] 10

points. They come here and we
just weren’t ready to play. We can’t
do that. We have to come out here
ready to play every single night.”
Junior guard Sean McDonald
led the Eagles in scoring with 15
points and was followed by senior
guard Morgan Warfield with 14
points. Chrane added 10 points to
the Eagles’ tally.
“Eight really bad quarters in a
row in the last 72 hours … it’s – it’s
disturbing – I guess that’s one way
to put it,” said Mason Head Coach
Chris Capannola.
The Mustangs’ 16-point loss to
the Warren County Wildcats was
their second loss to a district opponent at home and third loss at home
to anyone all season. Both teams
were tied at 15 in the middle of the
second quarter when the Wildcats
went on a 10-4 run to finish out the
first half up 25-19.
The Wildcats got ahead by as
much as 10 by the middle of the
third quarter, but the Mustangs
inched back into the game
throughout the rest of that period.
Junior guard Marcus Zack-Russell
hit a 3-pointer – the first score
of the fourth quarter – to get the
Mustangs within five points of
the lead.
But Warren County answered
George Mason’s buckets with
scores of its own and went on a
13-2 run to close out the game.
“I thought that was one of the
gutsiest performances that we’ve
had all year,” said Warren County

Mason sophomore guard Josh Allen attempts to drive into the lane flanked by two
Eagles defenders, senior guards Josh Gray and Morgan Warfield. The Mustangs beat the
Eagles twice during the regular season, lost to them in the district playoffs, and play them
again at home next week to open the Conference 35 playoffs. (Photo: Drew Costley)
Head Coach Vernon Mathews. “So
I was really proud of my team.”
Wildcats senior guard Jontae
Rollins led all scorers with 17
points against the Mustangs and
was followed by senior guard

Wildcats.
Before this duo of double-digit
losses, the Mustangs were on the
winning side of a 73-47 blowout
against Madison County High
School last Wednesday.

Colleges Sign 2 F.C. High Athletes
Last week, two Falls Church
High School athletes were signed
to college programs. Jordan
Coneys declared his commitment
to West Virginia State University
for football and Grace McGuire

signed with Utah State University
for soccer.
Starting from his freshmen year,
Coneys has been a member of
the boys basketball and football
programs. Among many honors

earned throughout his four years,
this fall Coneys made first team
All-Conference, was selected as
the Conference player of the year,
made first team All-Region, ranks
in the state as seventh in the history of VHSL for receptions, was
selected to the All-Met team, and
made first team All-State. Coneys
has been a dynamic student, getting involved in both the sports
programs and the performing arts
his freshmen year. Teachers were
immediately impressed by his performance in the classroom as well.
He is always willing to assist a
classmate, is highly involved in
activities through the Leadership
class, and has pushed himself in
AP classes.
During her freshman year,
McGuire played both varsity softball and varsity soccer in the same
season while also playing club and
state team soccer. She helped the
team by playing midfield while she
shared time with a senior keeper
as a freshman. Each year she has

Falls Church High School athletes Jordan Coneys
(left) and Grace McGuire (right) were signed to college programs last week. (Courtesy Photos)
improved and at times single-handedly kept Falls Church in games.
She received first team All-District
honors as a junior and was also on
the All-Met team that same year. In
the classroom, she has excelled in

the Leadership class. Her involvement in sports and school activities is balanced while she also
maintains a 4.17 GPA as she challenges herself through honors and
AP classes.

CALENDAR

PAGE 20 | February 13 – 19, 2014

Community Events
Thursday, February 13
Children’s Story Time. Ages 2 – 5
years. Mary Riley Styles Public
Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls
Church). Free. 10:30 a.m. 703248-5034.
Play Time. Children ages birth – 5
years can learn early literacy
skills through play in a play time
by Early Learning Center. Mary
Riley Styles Public Library (120 N.
Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free.
11 a.m. 703-248-5034.
Children’s Story Time. Children
ages 2 – 5 years can take part in a
Mandarin-language story time by
Language Stars. Mary Riley Styles
Public Library (120 N. Virginia
Ave., Falls Church). Free. 1:30
p.m. 703-248-5034.
Arts Event. Falls Church Arts will
host its “Loving Art Eve(nt)” with
activities, food, and music as
part of its all-members show on
display this month. ArtSpace Falls
Church (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls
Church). 7 p.m. fallschurcharts.
org.

Send community event submissions to the News-Press by e-mail at calendar@fcnp.
com; fax 703-532-3396; or by regular mail to 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church,
VA 22046. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is
Monday at noon for each week’s edition.

O Ka Pua ‘Ilima will perform
traditional and contemporary
songs and dances of Hawaii and
the Polynesian islands of New
Zealand and Tahiti as part of
Creative Cauldron’s Passport
to the World festival. ArtSpace
Falls Church (410 S. Maple
Ave., Falls Church). $20; $18 for
students and seniors. 7:30 p.m.
creativecauldron.org.

Sunday, February 16
“Tales from the Pacific Islands.”
Creative Cauldron will join
forces with Vivian Takafuji and
her professional Polynesian
dance troupe, Ta’ata Roiroi,
for an interactive afternoon of
storytelling, music, and dance
from Tahiti, New Zealand, and
the Pacific Islands. ArtSpace
Falls Church (410 S. Maple
Ave., Falls Church). $10. 2 p.m.
creativecauldron.org.

Tuesday, February 18
Children’s Story Time. Ages 18
– 36 months. Mary Riley Styles
Public Library (120 N. Virginia
Ave., Falls Church). Free. 10:30
a.m. 703-248-5034.
Play Time. Children ages birth – 5
years can learn early literacy
skills through play in a play time

“Twelfth Night.” Set in the roaring ’20s, “Twelfth
Night” tells the tale of fraternal twins, Viola
and Sebastian, separated in a strange new land.
Having survived a shipwreck and believing
Sebastian has been lost, Viola falls hopelessly
in love with Duke Orsino and disguises herself
as a man to enter his services. This production
has no dialogue. Through Feb. 16. Synetic
Theater (1800 S. Bell St., Arlington). $45 – $60.
7 p.m. synetictheater.org.

“Tribes.” Billy was born deaf into a garrulous
academic family who raised him to lip read
and integrate into the hearing world. When he
meets Sylvia – who’s going deaf herself – Billy
decides it’s time to speak on his own terms,
sending shock waves through the family.
Playing out in sign language, argument, music,

and mesmerizing silence, this sophisticated
drama examines family, belonging, and the
limitations of language. Through March 2. The
Studio Theatre (1501 14th St. NW, Washington,
D.C.). $49. 8 p.m. studiotheatre.org.

Friday, February 14

“La Cage aux Folles.” Georges, the owner
of a popular drag nightclub in San Tropez,
and Albin, the club’s star, have lived in
unwedded bliss for 20 years. Jean-Michel,
the son they have raised together, throws
the happy household into hilarious turmoil
by announcing that he is going to marry the
daughter of an ultra-conservative politician.
Through Feb. 16. McLean Community Center’s
Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean).
$18 – $20. 8 p.m. McLeanPlayers.org.

“Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence
Foster Jenkins.” The delightfully demented
diva and real-life eccentric heiress Florence
Foster Jenkins fancied herself a coloratura
soprano but was in fact incapable of producing
two consecutive notes in tune. Her growing
mob of followers packed her recitals, stuffing
handkerchiefs in their mouths to stifle their
laughter – which Mrs. Jenkins blissfully
mistook for cheers. Her concerts in the 1930s
and ‘40s included a legendary appearance at
Carnegie Hall. Told affectionately through the
eyes of her longtime accompanist, “Souvenir”
is the sweet and inspiring – and yes, hilarious
– portrait of a passionate music lover who
believed that “what matters most is the music
you hear in your head.” Through March 2.
1st Stage Theater (1524 Spring Hill Road,
McLean). $15 – $27. 8 p.m. 1ststagetysons.org.

ust because there’s a little snow on the
ground, doesn’t give you an excuse to forego
your Valentine’s Day duties on Friday. If you’ve
spent all your time and energy on prepping for the
storm, have no fear – I’ve got your February 14
plans covered. As part of their February celebration of love, the Alamo Drafthouse in Ashburn is
presenting a “Casablanca” Valentine’s Day feast
with a screening of the 1942 Bogart-Bergman
classic along with a film-themed romantic, fourcourse meal. Boom. Dinner and a movie. Just don’t forget the
flowers.

Sunday, February 23 – Panel Discussion. The League of Women Voters of Falls Church will
present a discussion on how agricultural policies and procedures effect daily life with
a panel including farmer and author Forrest Pritchard; Bill Garvelink, senior advisor for
global strategy for International Medical Corps; Elaine Apter, League of Women Voters of
Montgomery County agriculture committee member; and Chris McMaugh, manager of
The Local Market in Falls Church. Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls
Church). 3 – 4:30 p.m. lwvfallschurch.org.

Calendar Submissions
Be sure to include time, location, cost of admission, contact person and any other pertinent information.
Event listings will be edited for content and space limitations. Please include any photos or artwork
with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for the current week’s edition.

The Italian Store
has been around for
more than 30 years.
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really the only
evidence you need
to know that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re
in for a treat when
you grab take-away
from this Lyon
Village stalwart.
Expansion is another sure sign of the
restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strong
reputation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; another
Italian Store will
soon be moving into Westover, taking over a spot that once housed a 7-Eleven.
But if you need further convincing, stop by on a Friday night.
Watch as customers grab their number and wait 10-deep to have their order
taken. See them stand nearly shoulder to shoulder at the deli counter, or mill about
the store with shopping baskets filled with bottles of wine and Italian goodies for
the pantry. Marvel at the frenzied activity behind the deli counter as many sandwich-makers navigate the narrow space, seeking out spots on the assembly line to
toss shredded lettuce and pepper ringlets onto a sandwich.
If customers are standing around the deli, they could be scoping out the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
assortment of cured meats â&#x20AC;&#x201C; prosciutto, salami, and more â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but chances are theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re
waiting on a fresh-baked pizza or watching as their sandwiches are made.
The pizzas here have long been celebrated on local best-of lists, New York-style
pies made with fresh dough, homemade sauce, and quality cheeses. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re offered
by the slice, from $2.75 to $3.99 depending on which pizza youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting, or in
16-inch large and 20-inch extra-large sizes. A large Pizza Tradizionale, the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
take on the basic cheese pizza, will set you back $16.99 and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t disappoint. The
pizza has a chewy, yeasty crust with a thin, firm shell. Plenty of melty whole-milk
mozzarella tops the pie, well accented by a light sprinkling of Italian herbs. The
homemade tomato sauce is slightly sweet and, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s applied with a light hand, altogether mild. The box is lined with deli paper, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good reason why: This
pizza is an unabashedly greasy and gooey delight. The store offers six signature pizzas, with an assortment of toppings to add on, and three calzone options.
The subs here are also crowd-pleasers. The Milano ($8.49 for a large and
$7.49 for a small) is the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular. The sub combines two types of
Italian ham, Genoa salami, and plenty of provolone cheese. On a recent visit,
a handful of Milano subs with â&#x20AC;&#x153;everythingâ&#x20AC;? were made in advance and placed
on the counter for grab-and-go convenience; they were quickly snatched up.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everythingâ&#x20AC;? amounts to sweet and hot peppers; shredded lettuce; thin, nearly
translucent onion slices; and some oregano and dressing, but toppings can be
stacked on to the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wishes. Additionally, each sub comes with the
choice of soft or hard roll â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the former a chewy loaf which sops up every bit
of tangy dressing, and the latter a hard-shelled and dense bread that packs the
sub toppings in tightly. Mortadella, capicola, pepperoni, and prosciutto are just
a few of the meats found in the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s six signature cold-cut subs. A bevy of
sandwiches and some hot Italian subs are also offered, as are some specialty
sandwiches like the The Muffuletta ($8.99) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a round Sicilian roll speckled with
sesame seeds, topped with mortadella, prosciutto, salami, and the all-important
chunky chopped olive condite.
Calling ahead speeds the process along, but some time should be saved to
browse the aisles here and perhaps grab some of the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homemade pastas and
imported delicacies. It is, after all, The Italian Store. It just happens to be a store
that offers some phenomenal take-away dining.

Find your perfect Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day gift for less.
To redeem this offer visit

www.berries.com/treat or call 1-800-756-2163
*Minimum product purchase of $29.00. Discounts do not apply to gift cards or certificates, same-day delivery, shipping and handling, taxes or third-party hosted products (e.g.
wine). Discounts will appear upon checkout and cannot be combined with other offers or
discounts. Discounts not valid on bulk or corporate purchases of 10 units or more. Offer
expires 2/13/2014.

Plus, save 20% off* other gifts!
Visit www.ProFlowers.com/Amaze or call 1-800-764-4553
*Take 55% off â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tender Hugs and Kisses with Chocolatesâ&#x20AC;? and 20% off minimum product purchase of $29.00. Discounts: (i) apply to the regular price of the products,
(ii) will appear upon checkout and cannot be combined with other offers or discounts, unless specified, and (iii) do not apply to gift cards or certificates, international
delivery, shipping & handling, taxes, or third-party hosted products (e.g. wine). Discounts not valid on bulk or corporate purchases of 10 units or more. Images in this
advertisement may include upgraded, premium containers which are available for an additional charge. Prices valid while supplies last. Offer expires 2/13/2014.

PAGE 24 | FEBRUARY 13 - 19, 2014

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

YOU Choose The Deal!
CHOOSE ONE OF THESE GREAT OPTIONS!

Promotional
Packages
Starting At...

mo

Promotional Packages Starting At

FOR 12 MONTHS
Not eligible for Hopper
or iPad mini offer

Upgrade to

DISH TODAY!

Join Without
a Contract!

ADD
HIGH SPEED
INTERNET
AS LOW AS ....

✔ NO
Contracts.
✔ NO
Credit Check.
✔ NO Commitment.

On Sale Now!
Nicholas F. Benton's explosive, ponderous 100 'Gay Science'
Essays Collected in a Single Volume
“A distinguished, prolific journalist collects two years of published essays on the
homosexual movement and its historic legacy...The outspoken author believes his
writings collectively galvanize ‘a new dialogue on shaping LGBT identity and
self-esteem going forward into a new world of equality.’ Readers will come away with much
the same sentiment...Benton weaves his own history as an early gay liberation advocate,
and his highly intellectual, pioneering nature is evident...Insightful and valid.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Nick Benton’s outspoken accounts of our tribe’s issues are not
only intelligent and articulate but candid and compassionate. Such
exciting and informative writing is a benefi t to all humanity, and a
challenge to us, and to everyone.”
--Don Bachardy

A Perfect Gift, Classroom or Book Club Choice!
In paperback or e-book formats from Amazon, B&N, etc.
Nick Benton is available at nfbenton@fcnp.com for speaking engagements and book
signings to discuss this groundbreaking collection.

The Grand Candy will be celebrating the
release of its debut album NSFW with a show
Feb. 27 at the Iota Club and Café. It’s a firsttime milestone for a musical project that’s been
three years in the making, but in some ways
The Grand Candy has been in the works for
more than a decade.
The blues-rock group is the brainchild of
singer/songwriter Dan “Pluto” Cohn. He’s
currently a Falls Church resident and guitar
teacher locally – “I teach rock music to defense
contractors and lawyers,” he says – but in
2000 he was a touring musician. There he had
a front-row seat to watch a rising shift in the
music industry. He can remember, as he was
touring to promote his solo album Par Avion,
people showing him the peer-to-peer file sharing program Napster – technology that would
prove a watershed moment in the way music
was distributed.
“I started to question what the music business was going to be, as everyone was doing at
the time I think” Cohn says.
It was a time of personal change, as well. A
member of his band Grits, Mark Eaton, passed
away. He moved from Boston, where his band
had established itself, to the Washington, D.C.
area.The changes caused a shift in his musical
life. He wasn’t going to tour. He focused on
teaching locally, but he hadn’t discounted the
idea of being a recording musician once more.
“I was still writing music, but I was sort
of sitting on the sidelines of making music or
performing a lot because I wasn’t quite sure,”
Cohn says. “I started to wonder when I was
on tour when I was younger, where is this
going to go if people are giving away their
music now?”
He’s still not completely sure, but he seized
an opportunity to make music again. The
chance presented itself when Cohn met up with

The Grand Candy (Photo: Amy Chmara)
drummer Jon Babu in the D.C. area in 2008.
Babu was an old schoolmate from Boston’s
New England Conservatory.They began playing together in 2010. Bassist Jacob Chmara
signed on in 2011, just as The Grand Candy
was heading into the studio to record its debut
album.
“Bands are about camaraderie, musically
and socially. Much in the same way a conversation can inspire new lines of thinking, playing
in a band inspires new avenues for creativity,”
Cohn says. “I found some musicians with
whom I shared that camaraderie, and the conversations, musical and extra-musical, have
been outstanding.”
The group recorded the basic tracks in
Arlington’s Inner Ear Studios with NSFW’s
producer Don Zientara. The tracks were later

703-255-1566 • jamminjava.com

Bruce in the USA
The State Theatre

These singles whet the appetites of the FCNP editorial team this week:


9 p.m.
220 N. Washington St., Falls Church

703-237-0300 • thestatetheatre.com

Nicholas Benton – Cabaret by Liza Minnelli



Jody Fellows – Blame it on the Boogie by Michael Jackson



Leslie Poster – I Was Born to Love You by Freddie Mercury

overdubbed in Cohn’s home studio – a move
to Falls Church and setting up the studio
slowed production – and then finished at
Inner Ear.
The album takes its name from “not safe for
work,” a popular internet acronym that warns
of risqué content. The album is a collection
of dark songs, Cohn says. It just worked out
that way; that common mood tied those songs
together from the several pieces Cohn had
prepared. It’s an album full of dubious characters and macabre tales. Not quite befitting
its release in month that offers us Valentine’s
Day, the album ends with the track “Pride in
Hand” delivered by a narrator who compulsively steals trinkets and sends them to his love
interest.
But brighter tunes are on the horizon,
Cohn says. A follow-up to NSFW is half
finished, and he hopes to release a single
this summer, a song about empathy – “in
some ways you can consider it a reaction to
the current record,” he says. And the local
singer-songwriter is anticipating what further opportunities a new album in a changed
music industry might afford.
“It’s going to be interesting to see what the
landscape offers nowadays,” Cohn says.
• For more information about The Grand
Candy, visit thegrandcandy.com.

Travel, Food, and Fun -Baby We Were Born to
Run. Bruce and Alfie,
Zubie and Me Wishing
You Happy VD.

Services

Public Notice
PEARSON BRANCH & COE
BRANCH STREAM
RESTORATIONS
Invitation for Bids (IFB)- REVISED
IFB No. 0204-14-PBCB
City Of Falls Church
Sealed bids will be accepted by the City of
Falls Church, VA (“City”) at the Purchasing Office, 300 Park Ave., Room 300E,
Falls Church, VA 22046 for the provision
of Pearson Branch & Coe Branch Stream
Restorations bids for the City.
Due date for the receipt of bids: March 20,
2014 by 11:00a.m. A MANDATORY Bid
Meeting will be held on March 4, 2014 at
11:00 a.m. (see IFB for details). All bids
must meet the requirements in the IFB
which may be downloaded from the City of
Falls Church’s website: http://www.fallschurchva.gov; Purchasing and Procurement
link. In addition to accessing the IFB from
the City’s website, a copy of the IFB may
be accessed via eVA, the Commonwealth
of Virginia’s electronic procurement portal
for registered suppliers: http://eva.virginia.
gov. The IFB contains descriptions of the
technical specifications, requirements, bid
evaluation factors, and other details relevant
to this solicitation.
For more information regarding this RFP
contact: the City’s Purchasing Agent; (703)
248-5007; purchasing@fallschurchva.gov.
To request a reasonable accommodation
for any type of disability call 703 248-5007,
(TTY 711).

Use News-Press
Classifieds for your
Help Wanted Ad!
Email
classads@fcnp.com

We are pleged to the letter and

Happy Valentine's Day to
Betty, One of our best
friends and our favorite
neighbor ever!
Love, Melissa, Alexis and
Honey

Happy Valentine's Day
Sugar Bear! Love, Roo.

News-Press Classified Ads
$20 for up to
20 words per ad.

ABC LICENSE

Thai Spoon, Inc. Trading as Thai Spoon
Restaurant, 6795 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1B,
Falls Church, Falls Church City, VA 220443302 The above establishment is applying
to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for
a Wine & Beer On-Premises license to sell
or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Tam
Ton, Officer Corp. NOTE: Objections to the
issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the
publishing date of the first of two required
newspaper legal notices. Objections should
be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or
800-552-3200.

Find our
Weekly Sale at
www.acmoore.com
or in this Sunday’s
Newspaper!
You can also check us out on…

HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE Avail-

able 7 days a week. Week, biweekly,
monthly or one time. Good references in
Falls Church City. 10 years experience. For
further information call me at 703-901-0596.
Senior discount, Ask: Susy.

Hire Local!

Happy First Valentine's
Day to Juliette, the
youngest member of
Team News-Press, from
your many fans here!

Go to:
fcnp.com
for more information!

spiritpledged
of Virginia’s
for
We are
to policy
the letter
achieving equal housing opportuand spirit
of Virginia’s
policy
nity throughout
the Commonwealth. We equal
encourage
and
for achieving
housing
support advertising and
opportunity
throughout
marketing programs in whichthe
there are no barriers
to obtaining
Commonwealth.
We
encourhousing because of race, color,
age and
support
religion,
national advertising
origin, sex,
elderliness, familial status or
and marketing
programs in
handicap. All real estate adverwhichtisedthere
no barriherein are
is subject
to
Virginia’s fair housing law which
ers to
obtaining
housing
makes it illegal to advertise “any
preference,
limitation,
because
of race,
color, or
relibecause of race,
gion, discrimination
national
origin,
sex,
color, religion, national origin,
sex, elderliness,
familial status
or
elderliness,
familial
status
handicap or intention to make
or handicap.
All real
estate
any such preference,
limitation,
or discrimination.”
advertised
hereinThis
is newspasubject
per will not knowingly accept
to Virginia’s
fair
housing
advertising for real estate that
violates the
fair housing
law. Our to
law which
makes
it illegal
readers are herby informed that
advertise
“any
preference,
all dwellings advertised in this
newspaper
available on an
limitation,
orarediscrimination
equal opportunity basis. For more
because
of race,
color,
reliinformation
or to file
a housing
call theorigin,
Virginia Fair
gion, complaint
national
sex,
Housing Office at (804)
elderliness,
familial
367-8530. Toll
free call status
(888)
551-3247. For the hearing
or handicap
or
intention
impaired call (804) 367-9753.
to make any such preferEmail: fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov.
ence, limitation,
or discrimiWebsite: www.fairhousing.vipnet.org
nation.” This newspaper
will not knowingly accept
advertising for real estate
that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are
hereby informed that all
dwellings advertised in this
newspaper are available on
an equal opportunity basis.
For more information or to
file a housing complaint call
the Virginia Fair Housing
Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll
free call (888) 551-3247. For
the hearing impaired call
(804) 367-9753.

Get an extra $10 off your first order today!
Call the number below and save an additional $10 plus get free shipping
on your first prescription order with Canada Drug Center. Expires December
31, 2013. Offer is valid for prescription orders only and can not be used in
conjunction with any other offers. Valid for new customers only. One time use
per household.

Order Now! Toll-free: 1-800-909-8157
Use code 10FREE to receive this special offer.

Please note that we do not carry controlled substances and a valid
prescription is required for all prescription medication orders.
Prescription price comparison above is valid as of May 31, 2013. All trade-mark (TM) rights associated with the brand name products in
this ad belong to their respective owners. *Generic drugs are carefully regulated medications that have the same active ingredients as
the original brand name drug, but are generally cheaper in price. Generic equivalents are equal to their "brand" counterparts in Active
Ingredients, Dosage, Safety, Strength, Quality, Performance and Intended use. It may vary in colour, shape, size, cost and appearance.

1. Either side of a doorway
5. Garth Brooks’ “My Baby No ____
Aqui”
9. Post-lecture session
14. “Would ____ to you?”
15. One “T” of SMTWTFS
16. Carrier name of 1979-97
17. Get your hands on part of a sizable sandwich?
20. The U.S. banned it in 1968
21. Entry-level legal jobs: Abbr.
22. Ageless, in an earlier age
23. Violinist Leopold
24. Infuriates
25. All-out, unquestioning effort to
get a sizable sandwich?
32. Greek New Age musician
33. It’s chopped in a chop shop
34. Corp. money manager
35. Cell: Suffix
36. It becomes the name of another flower when its first letter is
changed to a “t”
38. Junior who played in 12 consecutive Pro Bowls
39. It may be bitter
40. Bible ____
41. Moves a muscle
42. Prohibited a way of thinking
about a sizable sandwich?
46. Prefix with dynamic
47. “Before ____ you go ...”
48. It has the word “wholesale” in
its logo
51. James who died before winning
a Pulitzer
52. Tebow and others: Abbr.

14. "Would ____ to you?"
15. One "T" of SMTWTFS
16. Carrier name of 1979-97
17. Get your hands on part of a sizable sandwich?
20. The U.S. banned it in 1968
21. Entry-level legal jobs: Abbr.
22. Ageless, in an earlier age
23. Violinist Leopold

1

24. Infuriates
25. All-out, unquestioning effort to get a sizable sandwich?
32. Greek New Age musician
33. It's chopped in a chop shop
Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

Sponsored by Pet Supplies Plus
Thr
ow
it
up.
Pour it
up
It
now is
the
time
for
all go
od
cows
to
go
the to
aid

Parson Decides Not to Run,
CBC Convention Saturday
Incumbent
Falls
Church
City
Councilman Ron Parson reversed an earlier decision last week, announcing he will
not10032_0
seek election to a second term this
May. Parsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision threw open a seat
that leaders of the Falls Church Citizens
for a Better City, a non-partisan civic organization, moved swiftly to fill prior to its formal nominating convention this Saturday.
David Chavern has emerged to seek this
open slot.
DENNIS MANARCHY ÂŠ 2006 UNCF ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Completing a year-long courtship of the
University of Virginia and Virginia Tech, the City
Council voted 6-1 Monday night to accept the
universitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bid to bring the Northern Virginia
Graduate Center to a site adjacent George
Mason High School. The agreement is contingent on approval of funding for the project by the
state legislature and transferal of the 9.6-acre
Whittier site from Fairfax to Falls Church. The
bid calls for the universities to pay $500,000
down on five acres of City-owned property.
Eventual purchase price will be $3.5 million.

It is no
the timw
e
for
g o all
o
cows d
to
go
to
the
aid
of the
pa stu ir
re.
***
**

GUS is looking for love this Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day. Just check out
this personal ad he sent Critter Corner: â&#x20AC;&#x153;My name is Gus and I
am short, dark, and handsome. ISO a fetching mini miss to be
my Valentine.â&#x20AC;? Gus lives with his owner Janet Jacewicz at the
Gates at West Falls condominium in Falls Church.
Just because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not famous doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean your pet canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be! Send
in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
UNCF helps thousands of deserving students.
But we have to turn away thousands more.
So please give to the United Negro College
Fund. Your donation will make a difference.
Visit uncf.org or call 1-800-332-8623.

Volunteer Agency: Y&R
KROGSOHDVH1RFDVKYDOXH0D\QRWEHFRPELQHGZLWKDQ\
2IIHU9DOLG)HEUXDU\WKWK
Public Service Director - Please Note: This PSA ad expires:
7/31/08
RWKHURIIHU
Running this PSA after the expiration date may result in claims by licensor, photographer or Talent.

classads@fcnp.com â&#x20AC;˘ 703-532-3267

Are you searching for
a better job or a more
reliable car? Have you
outgrown your apartment? Are you looking to
get rid of that old couch
and chair sitting in the
garage?

Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re buying or selling, the
Classifieds has it all.
From automobiles and
employment to real
estate and household
goods, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find
everything you need in

the Classifieds. Put the
Classifieds to work
for you, and inch even
closer to your goals.